


House of Ainana 2 - The Mask of Anubis

by theoddkid



Series: IDOLiSH7 x House of Anubis [2]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Boarding School, House of Anubis AU, M/M, Mystery, Sequel, Some other characters appear as well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 58
Words: 257,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24453739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theoddkid/pseuds/theoddkid
Summary: Riku, Iori and the rest of Sibuna managed to find and restore the Cup of Ankh, thus solving the mystery for good. Or so they thought. See, where one mystery ends, another is about to begin. Because they may know what's inside the house, but just wait until they find out what's beneath it. And if they fail, they may have to pay for it with their very own lives.Part 2 of my IDOLiSH7 x House of Anubis crossover, which will cover the events of the second season of HoA.
Relationships: Izumi Iori/Nanase Riku
Series: IDOLiSH7 x House of Anubis [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766200
Comments: 161
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenn reminisces about what happened the previous term and throughout the break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am finally, FINALLY, back with House of Ainana 2 - The Mask of Anubis! It's been about a month since I finished posting the first story, but now I have returned! And I am so, so excited to finally get to share this with you all! This fanfic will cover the events from season to of the nikelodeon tv show House of Anubis, and it will most likely be quite long. I hope you all are as excited as me to come on this journey! Just like last time, I'm going to update this story every Wednesday and Saturday! Today is a bit special, so to get this properly started, I have decided to post both the first and the second chapter! I hope you all enjoy it!  
> For those of you who are new to this, you should go read my other fanfic, "House of Ainana" before you go onto this one, as this is a sequel to that story and there is quite a lot that you probably won't get if you haven't read the first one. It's thefirst story in this collection and it can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21987517/chapters/52467439  
> With that said, please enjoy this update! And if you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can contact me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Looking out of the car's window and seeing the familiar scenery pass by outside was sort of calming for Nanase Tenn. Over the past couple of weeks, so much had happened, so much had changed, so now that he was finally seeing something that was familiar to him, he found it awfully comforting.

Right now, Tenn and his younger twin brother, Riku, were sat in a taxi that was driving them down the familiar road from the train station back to Yaotome Academy, the school they were both attending. It was Sunday morning and the new term was about to start the very next day. Tenn was so happy that he got to go back to the school after the mess that had been his previous term. And he could not be happier to be doing it with his brother. 

He had been shocked to say the least when his foster dad, Kujou Takamasa, had come to pick him up during the second day of the previous term. He had been confused, but not all that alarmed at first. Sure, it was boring and confusing to be forced to stay at home all day, every day, but since Takamasa had said it was to keep him safe, Tenn had tried not to complain. Kujou Takamasa had never done anything to hurt him in the past, after all. Unless you count taking him from his family, but he'd had his reasons. 

Then everything changed when Tenn learned that Riku had started attending Yaotome Academy in his absence. He immediately felt like something was wrong. As more time passed and Tenn learned more about what was going down with his foster dad, the staff at the school, his brother, and the House of Anubis, Tenn grew more concerned. He did not like that his brother was so deeply involved in all of it. 

However, maybe Tenn was a bit grateful for his involvement as well. After all, maybe that was the reason why they had been able to reconnect with one another. And without Riku, Tenn doubted things would have ended on such a positive note as they did in the end. So, while it concerned Tenn, he wasn’t too mad about it anymore. 

After everything with the cup, the winter break had come quickly. Kujou Takamasa had practically disowned Tenn, and even if he had not done that, there was no way Tenn was going back with him after what happened that night. In the end, Tenn had gone back to his parents with Riku for the first time in five years. It was nerve wracking to say the least. 

The twins mother and father had been shocked upon the arrival of both of their sons, having expected only one to return for the break. So, when Tenn saw the hurt in their expressions upon seeing him again, he knew that the rift that had formed between them would be difficult to fix. It would at the very least take a very long time before things could return to how they used to be, if they ever could. 

Because everything had been so awkward at home, Tenn and Riku had both been glad when their grandmother, Nanase Emi, had offered them to come stay with her over the break. She lived alone after he husband passed a few years back and had always adored the twins. Their parents had quickly agreed and sent them off. 

Now, Tenn and Riku had always been close with their grandmother, she was the only family member who was still alive on their mother’s side of the family. And she had been delighted when she heard that Tenn had returned. It was obvious she had missed him a lot. 

And so, the twins had spent the majority of their break with her, which had been a lot of fun. The two of them had spent a lot of time just getting to know one another again, after a whole five years apart. There had also been a lot more serious discussions, like when and how to sign Tenn back into the family, changing his surname back to Nanase and the like. 

So, now that he returned to the same high school, to the same house and the same friends, perhaps he was the thing that had changed the most. After all, he returned as Nanase Tenn, not Kujou Tenn. And the name was not the only thing that was different, he felt like something within him had changed. Maybe it was simply because he had Riku at his side again, he knew he tended to drop his cool facade around his brother, for better or worse. 

“Tenn-nii, look! I can see the school now!” Riku exclaimed excitedly from the seat next to him. Tenn leaned over and looked out through the window on his brother’s side, and sure enough, he could finally see the main building of Yaotome Academy towering up in the distance. 

He would have a lot to catch up on once he arrived, but Tenn eagerly smiled in anticipation as he thought about how the third, and final term of the year was just about to start. And he had a feeling that it would come to be an eventful one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the prologue is done! The next chapter is already out, so you can go check that out right now! Thank you for reading! I love you all! <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone finally returns to the House of Anubis after the break. Iori and Riku's relationship is revealed, and Riku has to retrieve the Cup of Ankh before Sibuna has their reunion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we have chapter 2 of this story! Enjoy this double update, I sincerely hope you like this and will be excited for more! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can find me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

“Ahh, it’s so nice to be back!” Mitsuki exclaimed once he and Iori had entered Anubis House, stretching out after being stuck in a car for a couple of hours.

Hearing the exclamation, Tsumugi soon peeked out of the living room with a bright smile on her face. “Mitsuki-san! Iori-san! Did you have a good break? And the journey back here, was it okay?” She asked in her usual calm yet cheerful voice while she embraced the brothers as a way to say welcome back. 

“Yes, the break was really nice! We had so much cake, you can’t even imagine!” Mitsuki explained happily while Iori nodded. 

“That’s good to hear. Almost everyone has arrived already, they’re in the living room right now.” The house mother explained before she ventured back into the kitchen. Iori and Mitsuki gave each other a look before they dragged their bags to their respective bedrooms before joining the rest of the residents in the living room. 

Upon entering, Mitsuki immediately jogged over to the dark brown couch where Nagi and Yamato were sitting while also greeting the others. Iori watched as his older brother quickly started striking up a conversation while Iori still lingered near the door, his gaze scanning the room for one person in particular. 

“Iorin! Hey!” Iori snapped his head around as he heard his name being called and then went over to sit next to his roommate, Tamaki, who had been calling for him. “Hello, Yotsuba-san.” Iori greeted before he went back to looking around the room, an unspoken question in his eyes. 

Tamaki, who believed he knew his friend quite well, quickly picked up on the anticipation in his gaze and smirked his way. “You know, Rikkun isn’t here yet. He’ll probably arrive soon with Tenten.” He said knowingly. 

Iori’s face erupted into a blush at the mention of his now boyfriend and turned to Tamaki with a scandalized expression. “I wasn’t- Why would you-” He stammered out, making Tamaki laugh at his awkwardness. 

The others had now picked up on the conversation and decided to join in. “So, Kujou-san is coming back to the house?” Mitsuki asked happily. Gaku was the one who answered him. “Yeah, he will have some extra assignments to make up for missing last term, but he’ll be back. And he’s coming back to live in the house as well.” He explained. 

“That’s nice. Do you think he and Riku-kun were able to work things out between them over the break?” Sougo asked. “Are you kidding?” Gaku asked. “All that brat ever talks to me about is his brother! I feel like I know more about Riku over the break than I do about Tenn, even though I haven’t talked to Riku even once.” He then explained, rolling his eyes all the while. 

Iori frowned at that. He and Riku had texted, but Riku had been quite busy with Tenn and his family all break, so they really had not been able to talk as much as he would have liked. Which is also one of the reasons why Iori was excited for school to start up again, now that the two of them were dating. He could not wait for his boyfriend to arrive. 

“By the way, does Tenn know that you went on a date with his brother?” Gaku soon asked, directed at Iori. Iori opened his mouth to reply before he realized that he didn’t actually know whether Riku had told him or not. He said as much. “Actually, I don’t know. I assume he would tell him, but I can’t say for sure.” 

“That should be interesting.” Gaku said with a smirk, making everyone except for Iori chuckle at the thought. Iori only frowned, he could only hope they wouldn’t make too big of a deal out of it. 

As the taxi drove onto the school grounds, Riku could feel his excitement grow. He was actually back at Yaotome Academy. And his brother was with him, which just added to his excitement. After everything that had happened last term, the winter break had been much needed, but now he was glad to be back. 

Riku looked up at the school as they passed it, remembering the treasure that he had hidden inside there at the end of last term. He would have to go and get it as soon as he could. 

Soon, the taxi passed by the road that led to the retirement home and Riku felt a mixture of fondness and sadness at the memories of Sara. He missed the old woman, but he was so happy that she was able to find peace and rest in the end. She had most definitely deserved it. 

Finally, the car pulled up outside of the House of Anubis. Riku and Tenn exited, thanked and payed the driver, and then got their luggage from the trunk. In unison, the twins turned around to face the house before them. 

Looking up at the familiar building, Riku let out a sigh, which concerned Tenn as he turned and grabbed ahold of his brother’s hand. “Are you okay? Are you nervous to get back after what happened last term?” He asked. 

Riku quickly turned and gave Tenn a smile while also shaking his head. “Not at all! If anything, I’m happy to be back! While it was difficult and sort of scary, the last few months have been some of the best in my life! I’m really excited to get back and see everyone again.” He exclaimed. _‘Especially Iori.’_ Riku thought to himself. 

Tenn smiled and nodded, pleased with the answer, after all, he had also been looking forward to seeing the other Anubis residents again, especially Gaku and Ryuu. And the fact that he and Riku both went to the same school and lived in the same dorm made him feel at ease. 

“Well then, shall we?” Tenn then asked while gesturing for the door. Riku gave Tenn a big grin and nodded before he grabbed his bag and followed his brother up the steps and into the house. They were finally back. 

As they entered, Riku had to take a few seconds just to look around. He almost expected it to feel different to come back, after everything he had to go through last term. But alas, it looked exactly the same. It was still pretty dark and gloomy, but in a fancy way. The sarcophagus was still there, as was the grandfather clock and the chandelier. 

The door closed loudly behind the twins, and the moment it did, the doors to the living room flew open and the rest of the Anubis House residents came out into the hall. “Finally! You guys are the last ones to arrive!” Nagi exclaimed happily. 

“Oh my god! It’s so good to see you all again!” Riku greeted as he was wrapped up in a hug by his roommate. “It’s good to see you too! How was your break?” Nagi then asked. 

“It was great! We spent most of it with our Gran! She’s planning on coming to visit the school sometime, now that we both go to the same place.” Riku explained while greeting the others. Tenn was nodding along to his explanation while walking over and greeting Gaku and Ryuu. 

“Ah! Riku-san! Tenn-san! You’re finally here!” Tsumugi exclaimed as she also entered. Both twins turned to her with smiles on their faces as they nodded. “I’ll have food ready in about an hour, so go unpack before then, yeah?” She suggested before leaving them to their own devices. 

That was when Riku’s gaze met Iori’s from across the room and it was as if he had the breath knocked out of him momentarily. He smiled shyly and walked up to him, but neither boy was saying anything, too awkward to do so with everyone staring at them. 

“Hi.” Iori finally managed to get out. Riku felt his face flush as he gave a coy chuckle in response. “Hi.” He responded. 

Iori cleared his throat. “I, uhm… I missed you.” He said, a flush that matched Riku’s own was slowly forming on his cheeks. Riku could feel his heart swell in his chest, he had been very busy over the break, which had helped to distract him from the absence of Iori, so it was only now that it sunk in just how much he had missed him. “I missed you too.” He said as if on que. 

Iori gave Riku a fond smile and that was it. Riku caved and closed the distance between them, enveloping the other boy in a much-anticipated embrace, which Iori wasted no time to return. 

“Aww, you guys!” Nagi exclaimed, which earned an amused chuckle from the others. Iori and Riku pulled apart as a result, looking awfully embarrassed by the others’ presence. 

From a bit away, Tenn was frowning and glaring at Iori. He had already gathered that he had become especially close to his brother over the last term, what with Riku talking about him quite a lot at home. However, it wasn’t until that moment that he realized just how close they had become. 

Riku had tried to tell him something before, but he had always grown shy and decided not to say anything. Tenn now had a pretty good idea of what it was. He cleared his throat, making them all turn to him with startled expressions. “Care to explain?” He asked, directing the question at his brother. 

Riku pouted and looked away, the blush from before returning once more. “I was trying to tell you…” He admitted. Everyone else was silent, they felt like they were almost intruding on the scene but were also too intrigued to leave. 

“Then tell me now. I’m listening.” Tenn said, though he didn’t sound very happy about it. Riku blushed and looked up at his brother. “…I’m dating Iori…” He admitted, which made Iori blush furiously. 

Tenn sighed. “So, you just happened to forget to tell me you had a boyfriend?” He asked, and everyone could hear the disapproving tone in his voice. “I didn’t forget!” Riku argued. “I just didn’t know how to tell you…” He admitted shyly. 

“Wait, you guys are official? Iori, why didn’t you say anything?” Mitsuki asked, sounding both excited and a bit hurt. “Yeah, didn’t you only have that one date?” Yamato then asked. 

Tamaki laughed out loud at that. “Honestly? It was so overdue! You didn’t spend most of last term watching them pine over one another, unlike me and Nagicchi. When they kissed at the end of term party, I was actually so relieved.” He said and Nagi nodded in agreement. 

“Excuse me, what kiss?” Tenn asked, now sounding more on edge than before. Riku sighed. “So, we kissed! Why do you have to make it a big deal? You can’t just expect to be able to keep everything and everyone that could possibly end up hurting me away just because you came back after five years!” He exclaimed, now he was also getting upset with his brother. 

“Nanase-san…” Iori said in an attempt to calm his boyfriend down, however, he did not expect both of the twins to turn to him at the same time. “What?” They asked in unison, shocking the entire room into silence. 

Ryuu was the first to understand the implication in that. “Oh right… Tenn, did you change your surname back to Nanase over the break since you moved back in with your family?” He asked, to which Tenn nodded. 

“Well, that’s going to make things confusing as hell.” Gaku complained while rubbing his head in thought. 

Riku rolled his eyes but smiled at the others. “Just call me Riku and him Tenn, it will be easiest that way.” He said. The others nodded in agreement. The only one who didn’t look entirely comfortable with that was Iori, who didn’t really refer to anyone with their given name. 

Riku could see his uncertainty and turned to grab his hand. “Would you be okay with that?” He asked, giving the other boy his best puppy eyes. Iori blushed, gulped and then nodded. “I guess I could do that… Riku…” He said, though he was clearly feeling self-conscious about it. 

Riku gave Iori an encouraging smile at that and Tenn was just about to argue some more. However, Ryuu, ever the peacemaker, interrupted him before he could start another scene right there amongst everyone. 

“Right, I think we should all go unpack now! Tenn, since Riku got your room last term, we decided that you will be moving in with me and Gaku starting this term. Tsumugi prepared the room over the break, so let’s go check it out, yeah?” Ryuu suggested. 

Tenn frowned but nodded in agreement in the end. “Right. See you later, Riku.” He said. Riku smiled and nodded. “Of course.” He said. Then Tenn left, following behind Gaku and Ryuu. 

“So, Riku.” Mitsuki started, gaining the redhead’s attention. “Did your brother use to be overprotective in the past?” He asked curiously. Riku considered it a while, but then nodded. “I suppose. But he had his reasons, I mean, with my condition and all… I think he might still see me as that vulnerable kid, since he didn’t see me grow up and get better.” He speculated. 

Yamato smirked. “So, does that mean Ichi is in trouble? Is Tenn going to kill him?” He asked smugly. Mitsuki and Tamaki both laughed at that while Iori only flushed. Riku chuckled apologetically. “I’m sure he’ll get over it.” He then said. 

“He better, or your first relationship will be over really quickly.” Mitsuki said before he continued to laugh. Iori at this point had just gone over to shaking his head and rubbing his temples in annoyance. 

“What is with all the ruckus?! First day back, and already you children are giving me a headache!” The seven boys all tensed up as they heard the familiar bark of the house’s caretaker, Tsukumo Ryou. 

Tsukumo was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at them with annoyance in his eyes. Riku had initially been a bit worried that he would get in trouble with Tsukumo after everything that had happened last term. But he hadn’t said anything before Riku left, and as he watched him return back to his office now that he had said his piece, Riku felt like he could finally relax. 

“Well, I guess we do need to go unpack. Sougo, are you coming?” Mitsuki asked, he and Yamato were already on their way up the stairs and to their bedroom. Sougo gave them a polite smile in return. “I just have to go check something with Tsumugi, I’ll be right up.” He said. 

Yamato and Mitsuki both nodded and then they were gone. Now the only people left in the entrance hall were Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo. In other words, the five members of the Sibuna club. 

Tamaki looked knowingly at the others. “So, Sibuna reunion, when and where?” He asked. The others smiled, they had been thinking the same thing. With them having had to leave the school the day after they put the cup together and the end of term party, there hadn’t really been a lot of time to discuss what had happened, nor what they would do now. 

“I think we should meet tonight.” Riku said, catching all of their eyes. “Midnight in the attic? It’ll be like old times.” He suggested with a smirk. The others all nodded with similar faces filled with anticipation. 

“Well then,” Nagi started, holding a hand out for Riku. “Shall we go unpack as well?” He asked. Riku smiled apologetically. “Actually, I think I’ll unpack a bit later. I need to head down to the school real quick, but I’ll be right back. Don’t wait for me.” He explained. 

Iori frowned at that. “You’re going to the school? Why?” He asked in concern. “I just need to swing by the headmaster’s office.” Riku lied. “I’ll tell you more about it later, okay?” He then added when Iori didn’t look entirely convinced. 

Still, Iori had to give in. And so, he nodded and watched as Riku headed out the doors before Tamaki practically dragged him over to their own room to unpack their bags. 

Upon entering the main building of Yaotome Academy, Riku was relieved to find it seemingly empty, and also unlocked. He supposed it was because teachers had been coming and going all weekend, setting things up for the new term. Someone must still be in the building, or else it would have probably been locked. But as long as he was careful, Riku was certain he could get away with sneaking inside. He got a lot of training sneaking around the house last term, after all. 

He made his way through the hallways as quickly and quietly as he dared in order to not make any sound. Soon, he reached his destination, the auditorium. Riku slowly and carefully opened the door, glad when it didn’t creak or make any sound. He then walked down the rows of chairs until he reached the stage, which he immediately climbed up on. 

Riku stood up on the stage and counted the floorboards. “Let’s see… three from the front and four from the left wall… There!” He whispered to himself as he knelt down next to the floorboard he had been looking for. 

Riku reached into the almost empty backpack that he had brought along and got a metal ruler out, which he used to get in under the floorboard, which he had discovered was loose when they were working on the school play last term. It took some work, but finally he managed to get it out. 

Riku lifted the floorboard and put it beside him before he reached down into the dusty space underneath the stage. He could feel the spiderweb sticking to his bare wrists and shivered at the feel of it, but he knew it would be worth it. And sure enough, he soon felt what he had been searching for. 

With a sigh of relief, Riku pulled out the Cup of Ankh from the compartment under the stage, where he had hidden it on his way back to the end of term party a few weeks prior. It looked just as he remembered it, with pristine decorations and a golden glow to it. It was absolutely beautiful. 

Riku was happy his idea to hide it in the school had payed off, he wouldn’t have felt comfortable leaving the Cup of Ankh in the house while Tsukumo had it to himself for a couple of weeks. But now that he was back, he wanted to have it close by, which was why he had gotten it from its hiding place. Tonight, he would tell the other Sibuna members about how it hadn’t been destroyed and then they could find a new hiding place for it together. 

That was when Riku could make out footsteps walking down the hall and realized that he hadn’t closed the door to the auditorium. In a panic, Riku stuffed the Cup of Ankh into his backpack and pushed the loose floorboard back towards the hole. He didn’t have enough time to fit it back in the hole, but he really had to leave. If someone saw him and asked to search his bag, that would be really bad, after all. 

Riku stood up and quickly made his way to the back of the stage. There was a backdoor there that he hoped he could use. As he heard someone enter, he stopped to peek out from behind a rack of old stage clothes to see who had joined him. When he saw Yaotome Sousuke standing there, he supposed it wasn’t a shock. He was the headmaster, so it wasn’t weird for him to be in the school. 

Riku held his breath as he watched Sousuke frown down at the floorboard before pushing it back in the hole and looking around the room suspiciously. He was one of the people who had been helping Tsukumo look for the cup last term, so he definitely couldn’t find him now. 

When Sousuke shrugged and left the auditorium, Riku leaned back against the wall and took a couple of deep breaths to calm down his racing heart. That had been way too close for comfort. Still, he had what he came there to get, now he just had to make his way back to the house. 

And with that, Riku left the school, once again being careful not to run into the headmaster or anyone else who might be wandering the halls. He only relaxed once he was safely back outside of the school. 

Midnight had been fast approaching that night, and before he knew it, Riku sat up in bed and met Nagi’s expectant gaze. “Are you ready?” Riku asked. Nagi nodded and smirked. “Of course! I’ve been ready all night!” He said with a wink in Riku’s direction. 

Riku grabbed a hoodie that he had hung over the desk chair earlier that night, seeing as it was colder up in the attic. He then made sure to grab his bag as well. After all, that bag held the biggest reason why he wanted to get the gang back together. 

The two roommates exited their bedroom and saw that Sougo exited his own at the same time, carrying two blankets in his arms. They gave each other a nod in greeting while they waited for the final two members to join them. They did not have to wait long, as just a minute later, they were joined by Iori and Tamaki. 

“Did you have any trouble getting past Tsukumo?” Riku asked. Iori shook his head. “He wasn’t in his office.” He responded. “He’s probably down in the cellar.” Tamaki finished and the remaining three nodded. “Let’s go then.” Nagi declared as he pointed to the door to the attic. 

Riku pulled a hairpin from his hair and was just about to start picking the lock when Tamaki tried the door and found it to already be unlocked. The five looked at each other warily. “You don’t think Tsukumo’s up there, right?” Sougo asked in concern. “Either that, or he just doesn’t care about anyone going up into the attic anymore.” Iori answered. 

Riku gulped. “Let’s carefully go up there and check it out. If he is in there, we will just sneak back down, yeah?” He suggested. The others agreed. 

When they got to the attic, however, it became apparent that it was empty after all. They all let out a collective sigh of relief as they started prepping everything for their Sibuna reunion. Sougo and Iori spread out the blankets on the ground, Tamaki put down the cookie jar that he had borrowed from the kitchen in the middle of the blankets and Riku and Nagi lit some candles to give them a little more light. 

They all sat down in a ring, Riku and Iori was sat a bit closer to one another than all the others, but nobody wanted to point it out. “So…” Riku started, he could feel the anticipation in the room, as if every one of them had been waiting for this moment. “The gang is finally back together!” Tamaki then exclaimed excitedly, making the others laugh. 

“So, what is there to discuss?” Iori then asked, getting straight to the point. “Well, I guess we should talk about what happened last term? And what we are going to do now…” Sougo suggested. “Speaking of… I found something interesting in the newspaper a few days ago.” Nagi then said before he pulled a piece of paper out from his pocket. 

Iori grabbed ahold of it and held it so that everyone could see. It was a newspaper clipping, Nagi must have cut out whatever it was he had found. “Wait, is that…” Riku started as he took a closer look. “An obituary for Kujou Takamasa…?” Iori finished and Nagi nodded. 

“Does that mean he’s…?” Tamaki started, sounding a bit uncertain. “Dead? Yeah.” Sougo answered. “I guess he found out that he wasn’t immortal the hard way.” Nagi commented. 

Riku could not stop looking at it. A part of him was relieved that he would never be able to hurt any of them again, but at the same time it wasn’t very comforting to think that he had died. “Can I take that?” Riku asked. 

Nagi looked a bit confused but agreed nonetheless. “I just thought I should show it to Tenn-nii. He should know that Kujou-san isn’t out there anymore.” Riku clarified. The others all understood where he was coming from and agreed that would probably be best. 

“That’s good though, right? I mean, that way he won’t come back to bother us. Though I do feel kind of bad for saying that…” Sougo pointed out. Tamaki huffed. “You shouldn’t, Sou-chan. That guy kidnapped Tenten, threatened Iorin with a knife and tried to kill Rikkun by drinking from the cup. He was awful.” He said with an irritated expression. 

Sougo was about to say something more when there was a noise from downstairs that made them all stiffen up. Someone was coming up the stairs. There was no time to both hide and put all of their things away, they would just have to face whoever was coming their way. 

Much to their relief, when the door opened, it wasn’t Tsukumo who stood there, it was Tenn, giving them all a deadpan look and a sigh. “Guys come on! They’re all up here.” He called out, after which the rest of the Anubis House residents came waddling into the room. 

Sibuna all looked at the other five in awe, had they all followed them up here? “Man, I can’t believe you guys decided to have an Anubis reunion and didn’t invite us!” Mitsuki complained. Riku met all of the other Sibuna members’ eyes and they realized they would just have to go with it at this point. 

Nagi, ever the quick thinker, broke out into a huge grin and exclaimed; “Surprise!” He sounded way too hopeful and Riku almost wanted to laugh. “What?” Yamato asked, sounding both confused and amused at the same time. “It’s a surprise welcome back party! To welcome all of us, and especially Tenn, back to the house for the new term!” Nagi explained. 

Tenn looked skeptical. “Up here?” He asked. Nagi nodded. “At midnight?” Tenn continued to ask. Nagi nodded again. “Without any of us knowing?” Tenn finally asked. “Of course, that’s the greatest surprise of them all! Admit, you were really surprised.” He said with a wink in Tenn’s direction. 

Everyone except for Tenn laughed at that before joining them at the blanket. Tenn sighed but eventually joined as well, pushing his way in between Riku and Iori while glaring at the raven -haired boy. Riku and Iori only shuffled to the side awkwardly to allow the older twin to sit down, neither being in the mood to argue right now. 

For another few minutes, they all just sat up there and talked. They discussed their winter break, and the ones who had never been up to the attic before was commenting on some stuff. 

Tamaki, at one point had to get up to blow out one of their candles, which was close to running out. On the way there though, he hit his shin on something and cursed. “Ouch! Crap! That hurt so bad!” He exclaimed loudly. 

“Yotsuba-san! Be quiet!” Iori called out. “What did you walk into anyway?” Riku asked, after which Tamaki pulled off the sheet that was covering whatever he had hit his shin on. “A dollhouse?” Nagi asked. 

And indeed, it was a dollhouse, but that wasn’t all. It was a dollhouse that was a small replica of the House of Anubis. “It’s beautiful…” Riku commented. “More like creepy… Why is there a miniature of our house up here?” Gaku asked. 

They didn’t get much time to dwell on it though, as an irritated voice soon called out to them from below. “What is going on up there?” They all looked at each other with troubled expressions. Nobody could mistake that voice, it belonged to Tsukumo. 

“I know you’re up there! You have thirty seconds to get your asses down here or I’ll come up there and drag you down myself!” He yelled out, after which they heard him starting to count down. 

Everybody stood up in unison, hurrying to close the lid on the cookie jar, bundle up the blankets and blow out the candles. Then, one by one, they all left the attic. 

Tsukumo, who was stood by the open door glared at them all as they came out. However, it soon became apparent that one of them was missing. Tsukumo turned to the attic door again and yelled out. “Nanase Riku! If you’re not down here in ten seconds, there will be dire consequences!” He yelled out angrily. 

Riku, who had stayed up in the attic after the others left, was frantically looking around the room. He needed to find a hiding place for the cup, and he needed to find it quickly. The old hidden room wouldn’t work, the wall was gone, meaning Tsukumo must have found it sometime during the break. 

Soon, much to his relief, Riku’s locket started glowing again, and as he looked around, Riku saw a second indentation in a different wall, just like when he first found the hidden room. He hurried to press the locket to it and a small compartment opened up. Riku put the cup inside, it just fit. 

“That’s it! I’m coming up for you!” He heard Tsukumo yell from downstairs and quickly closed the hatch. The Cup of Ankh would be safe there for now, at least he hoped so. Riku quickly grabbed his bag and headed for the door, only when he turned around, he managed to knock over a box that spilled out onto the floor. 

Riku cursed under his breath, but there was no time to fix it now. Instead he made his way to the door. When he opened it, he was stood face to face with a very angry Tsukumo. “Tsukumo! I’m really sorry! I wanted to clean it up but you wouldn’t give me a chance to-” Riku started explaining but Tsukumo only grunted and pushed him out the door. 

“Leave, now! We’ll deal with punishment in the morning!” He declared. Riku nodded and started descending the stairs. 

Now that he was alone, Tsukumo begrudgingly walked over to the box Riku had knocked over and picked up the first thing he could find, which was a doll. Tsukumo sighed, it must have belonged to Sara. He tried not to think of his friend, as it made him sad, but sometimes he couldn’t stop himself. 

Something caught his eye then, from the back of the doll there hung a thread. Tsukumo frowned and pulled it, curious as to what would happen. Much to his amazement and wonder, the doll spoke in a little girl’s voice, but not any little girl. It was Sara, and what she said amazed him even more. 

_“An athenaeum is the place to look, lift the wings to find the book. Hidden in this book of old, water of life and tears of gold.”_

“Water of life…” Tsukumo whispered. “The elixir… Maybe there is still hope after all…” He said. With determination, Tsukumo grabbed the doll and headed downstairs. What he didn’t realize though, was that he wasn’t the only one who had heard the doll. 

At the bottom of the stairs, Riku had stood and eavesdropped the entire time he was there. He had heard everything the doll had said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! That concludes the start of this story! I hope you liked it and that you all are just as excited as me to see where this story is going. Thank you all so much for reading! And thank you to everyone who takes your time to leave kudos or post a comment! They keep me going more than anything else! See you all on Wednesday with the third chapter! <3<3<3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku tells Tenn about Kujou's passing and Iori about the doll riddle he heard. Tsukumo also manages to get an idea about what the riddle meant and asks for some assistance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am back with chapter three of this story! I really hope that you all will enjoy it! With that said, please, do go on and read it. If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

The next morning everyone was gathered at the table when Tsukumo walked in. He was wearing a pleased expression, which did not bode well for any of the students. “Not even 24 hours since you returned to the house, and already you are up to no good!” He lectured sternly. He then proudly presented ten toothbrushes and handed them out, one to each of them.

“Wait a minute…” Tamaki said, looking around at all the toothbrushes and then back at Tsukumo. “Does this mean that you want all ten of us to clean the two toilets in this house?” He asked with a smile, realizing that this meant that there wouldn’t be much work. However, of course they wouldn’t get away with it that easily. 

“Oh no, not at all. It means that all ten of you are cleaning the two toilets in the house and every single toilet in the school. You may not return to the house until they are all so clean you could see you face reflected in them!” Tsukumo declared before stomping off. 

Tamaki slumped back down into his chair and sighed. “Ugh, it’s going to take hours!” He complained loudly, clearly unhappy with their punishment even though they all knew it could be way worse. 

“Technically,” Iori started. “If you’re efficient, one toilet bowl should only take between ten and twenty minutes. There are three floors of the school and each has six toilets on them. That means there are 18 toilets in school and two more here in the house. Which means, there are a total of twenty toilets to clean. If we take two each, that means it should be done in less than one hour.” He explained. 

After that, breakfast continued as usual. Although, throughout the entire meal, Riku was a bit distracted to say the least. He had secrets that he didn’t want to keep. He needed to tell the rest of Sibuna about the Cup of Ankh, or at least he needed to tell Iori, seeing as he had promised to explain the situation back during the end of term party. In the end, he never got a chance to do that. 

Riku also needed to talk to Tenn, both about Kujou Takamasa’s passing, but also about Iori. He knew his brother was upset about it, but he hoped that if he could just explain then Tenn would understand and try to not come between them. 

Then there was also the issue that arose last night. Riku had overheard the riddle that Tsukumo found in the attic and he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since then. He didn’t know what it meant yet, but he believed it had to do with the elixir. He needed to tell someone, but he still wasn’t sure if this was big enough to involve all of Sibuna. He felt sort of bad for dragging them along with him last term, even if they had been a huge help. 

In the end, Riku decided he would start by consulting Iori and see what he thought about it. But before that, he had a feeling he should talk to his brother. Riku saw Tenn leave the table and thus leaned over to Iori to excuse himself. 

“Iori,” He said, gaining the other boy’s attention. “I think I’m going to walk to school with Tenn-nii today. I need to tell him about Kujou and some other stuff. But I would still like to talk to you before class, so could you meet me by my locker?” Riku suggested. 

Iori smiled understandingly. “Of course, I’ll see you there then.” He said. Riku smiled and nodded before leaning in and placing a quick peck on Iori’s check, which made him blush furiously, before leaving the room to quickly get his bag and then find his brother. 

Riku found Tenn already in the entrance hall when he came down the stairs. “Oh, Tenn-nii! I was going to go find you! Do you want to walk to school together?” He asked cheerfully. 

Tenn smiled up at Riku and nodded. “I’d like that, yeah.” He answered. Then the two of them excused themselves and left the house behind. “Actually,” Riku started after about a minute of walking in silence. “I wanted to talk to you about something.” He admitted. 

Tenn turned to look at him and gave him a look that said, ‘go ahead’. Riku reached into his pocket and pulled out the obituary that Nagi had given to him the previous night. “According to Nagi, this was in the newspaper a few days ago. It seems Kujou passed away.” Riku explained. 

Tenn frowned and took the piece of paper from Riku’s hand. He stared down at it with a conflicted expression, which made Riku a bit concerned. “Are you okay? I know he did some really bad things, but he was still your foster dad for five years. It’s okay to be sad, you know.” Riku said, hoping to show some support. 

Tenn sighed and shook his head before giving the obituary back to Riku. “It’s fine. I actually thought I’d be sadder than I am. I’m mostly relieved, this means he can’t come back to take either of us away.” He explained. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “Well, that’s good to hear. But if you ever want to talk about it, you can just come to me, okay?” He offered. 

Tenn smiled and nodded. The twins then walked the rest of the way to school in relative silence. Riku had been meaning to bring up Iori, but Tenn had looked like he didn’t want to talk about it, so Riku decided that maybe it wasn’t the right moment to do so. 

The two split up once they got to school, their lockers were in different parts of the school after all. Riku went over to his locker and was happy to see that Iori was already waiting for him by it. “Iori!” Riku called out happily, after which Iori looked up, smiled, and waved. 

Riku walked over and started fiddling with his locker while Iori stood off to the side. Riku could feel his boyfriend’s gaze on him, so he looked up and smiled brightly, making Iori flush. “So, you wanted to talk about something?” Iori asked, clearly wanting a distraction. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah… It’s about last night.” He said before he closed his locker, leaned his back against the cold surface to ground himself and then motioned for Iori to come closer. That, along with the serious expression told Iori that it wasn’t something that Riku wanted anyone else to hear. 

Iori leaned in closer to listen to what Riku had to say. “When I was leaving, I accidentally knocked over a crate or something, and a few things spilled out. Amongst them there was a doll, I’m guessing it used to belong to Sara, but who knows.” Riku started, Iori listening intently all the while. 

“Tsukumo seemed interested in it, because he picked it up. And guess what, it played a message. Not some sweet, doll-like message, I’m talking about something that sounded like one of the riddles we dealt with last term.” Riku admitted. 

This piece of information got Iori to perk up. “Wait, another clue? Do you think it was something that we missed last term?” He asked, now intrigued. Riku shook his head. “No, I thought about it all night, and the doll riddle didn’t fit in anywhere in our search. I think this is something new.” He explained. 

Iori nodded. “How did it go?” He then asked curiously. “An athenaeum is the place to look, lift the wings to find the book. Hidden in this book of old, water of life and tears of gold.” Riku repeated the riddle from last night and looked up at Iori expectantly. 

“Water of life… That has to refer to the elixir, right?” Iori speculated and Riku nodded in confirmation. “That’s what I thought too.” He said. “But what are the ‘tears of gold’?” Iori then asked, sounding confused. 

Riku shook his head. “No idea. At first, I thought it might be another chandelier, you know, because we had that ‘tears of glass’ clue last term, but I really don’t think that’s it.” He said. 

“Well,” Iori started. “No matter what it is, I’m guessing you want to try and solve it.” He said, directing a smile Riku’s way. Riku in turn rolled his eyes and gave Iori a lopsided smile. “Well, I don’t want Tsukumo to start brewing the elixir again… But I wasn’t sure whether this was something so big we needed to get all of Sibuna in on it. For now, maybe we should keep it to ourselves.” He suggested. 

Iori thought for a while, then nodded. “I agree. If it turns out to be something big, then I say we ask for help. But it sounds like this clue leads directly to this book, so maybe it’s just this one clue.” He said, sounding hopeful. 

Riku nodded in agreement before Iori spoke up again. “Speaking of books. I just remembered that athenaeum is an old word for library. If we are looking for a book, that would make sense, right?” He speculated. 

“Of course!” Riku exclaimed happily, rewarding Iori with a bright smile. “Do you know if the House of Anubis used to have a library?” He asked, but Iori shook his head in response. “Not that I know of. We need to think about this, but I’m sure we will come up with something.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “You’re right.” He said. “Plus, it’s not like we came up with answers to the clues this soon last term. We just need to think about it.” He said, sounding hopeful. “And we also need to remember to keep an eye on Tsukumo.” Iori then added, to which Riku agreed. 

Then the bell rang, signaling that classes were just about to start. And so, Iori and Riku headed off, the new riddle would have to wait for later. 

“I’m telling you, this is our chance!” Tsukumo exclaimed, but Sousuke only shook his head. After what he had discovered last night, Tsukumo had decided to go to the headmaster with his thoughts. He had told him about the doll and the riddle, and now he hoped that the other man would offer some sort of assistance. They had been allies before, after all. 

“I just don’t think it’s worth it to get hung up on this. I already spent so much time and effort on the idea of immortality in the past, and I just accepted that it is never going to happen! Right now, I just want to go back to my everyday life. Don’t get my hopes up again.” The headmaster argued. 

“You don’t need to share it with me, and I’ll even do most of it by myself, but in some parts I will be in need of assistance.” Tsukumo said stubbornly. 

Sousuke sighed. “Then maybe you should seek it somewhere else.” He replied. “Why are you so convinced that you would find your answers by following this new riddle? I get that the ‘water of life’ is referring to the elixir, but what about the rest?” He then asked. 

“I’m glad you asked.” Tsukumo said, a smug smile on his lips. “I’ve done some research and I believe that the ‘book of old’ is a different name for the so-called Book of Isis. It is a collection of ancient Egyptian texts combined into one book. It’s entirely written in hieroglyphics, none of it is edited, so all of the information is just as the ancient Egyptians intended.” He started to explain. 

“It includes medicine, rituals, legends and the like. I believe that the Book of Isis may hold the recipe for the elixir. If I find it and decipher it, I might be able to make more.” Tsukumo finished. 

Sousuke frowned. “And you suppose Watanabe Ritsu hid this book, just like he hid the Cup of Ankh?” He asked. 

Tsukumo nodded. “You’d be surprised how much Watanabe Ritsu and his wife brought back from their many trips to Egypt. The Cup of Ankh was simply the most sought-after relic. In fact, I have heard Ritsu himself mention the Book of Isis before. A long, long time ago.” He explained. 

“And what about the ‘tears of gold’? What are those?” Sousuke then asked. 

Tsukumo shrugged. “Honestly? I have no idea, I’ve never heard of that before. I believe it may be the missing ingredient in the elixir. From analyzing my father’s brew, I managed to identify most of it, but there was something in there that was almost… magical. I could never figure out what it was, but now I’m thinking it may be these ‘tears of gold’.” He speculated. 

“Either way,” Tsukumo added. “All will be revealed if I can just find the Book of Isis. If it will give me the recipe for elixir and the way to obtain these 'tears of gold’, then we may not need the Cup of Ankh after all.” He said. 

Sousuke sighed again and shook his head. “While your offer is tempting, I must decline. I have neglected my duties as headmaster and there is a lot to do this term. I will be too busy to go on this quest with you. I am sorry.” He said, giving Tsukumo an apologetic but determined look. 

“Just this once, help me find the book and I will take care of everything else.” Tsukumo persisted. Once again, Sousuke was about to decline, but Tsukumo beat him to it. “What if I told you that I already think I may know where to look?” He asked. 

This time, Sousuke could not help but be intrigued. If Tsukumo believed the doll would lead them directly to the book, that meant there would be no more clues to follow after that. And if Tsukumo had already solved the doll’s riddle, then there really wasn’t much work to be done. If it turned out to be a farce, or if the search would turn out to be a long one, Sousuke would just have to stop. 

“I suppose I may be able to spare an afternoon to assist you.” Sousuke finally gave in, much to Tsukumo’s delight. 

“Finally done!” Riku exclaimed in relief as he finished scrubbing his second toilet that afternoon. One thing Riku certainly had not missed was Tsukumo’s favorite punishment to bestow onto them. Still, it could have been a lot worse. 

When Riku exited the bathroom, he was both surprised and delighted to see Iori waiting for him in the hallway. The raven-haired boy looked up at him and smiled when he realized Riku was done. 

“Hey, were you waiting for me?” Riku asked happily as he swung his bag up onto his shoulder. Iori shrugged. “I finished just five minutes ago and figured you would still be at it. Do you want to go for a walk?” He asked, holding out a hand, indicating that he wanted Riku to take ahold of it. 

Riku smiled brightly, his cheeks flushing a light pink as he nodded and grabbed Iori’s expectant hand. “I would love that! I assume that means we are not going directly back to the house. Are you taking me out on a romantic stroll?” Riku asked smugly. 

Riku could see the tip of Iori’s ears turning pink as the other boy averted his gaze, he was probably feeling self-conscious about this. Still, he soon nodded. “I suppose you could call it that.” He answered, making Riku laugh. 

As they then exited the school, luckily without running into anyone who interrupted or bothered them, they fell into a sort of comfortable silence. However, a few minutes later, Iori turned his head around to look Riku in the eyes again. “I’m sorry if I’m not particularly good at this. The whole boyfriend thing, I mean. I’ve never done this before, if it wasn’t already super obvious.” He said while rolling his eyes. 

Riku smiled fondly back at him. “While I believe that it is a bit too early for me to pass judgement on how good of a boyfriend you make, I really don’t think you have to worry. If it wasn’t already obvious to you, I’ve never done this either. Let’s just take it at our own pace, yeah?” Riku offered. 

Iori smiled, looking relieved, and nodded. “That sounds good. Honestly, I felt a bit worried about coming back here. I mean, I was super excited and happy to be back, but it all felt so sudden! We got together the day before we left, and then we barely had time to talk over the break, so it sort of felt like it was expected of me to just step right into the roll of boyfriend once we returned. I was sort of freaking out because I had no idea how to do that.” He explained. 

“Well, for the record, I think you’re doing a fine job.” Riku started. “But really, I’m just glad to see you again. I missed you over the break.” He admitted, and this time it was his turn to feel self-conscious. 

Iori gave him a fond smile. “I missed you too.” He said and squeezed Riku’s hand tighter in his own. Then, Iori cleared his throat and tugged on Riku’s hand to make the redhead face him again. “Also, I was wondering if maybe you would like to hang out sometime? Like, outside of school and the house, doing something more… couple-like?” He asked. 

Riku eyes widened and he gave a small smile. “Iori… Are you asking me out on a date?” He asked excitedly. 

Iori’s cheeks took on a reddish tint as he nodded. “I guess I am… It’s like you said, we went our separate ways not even 24 hours after we got together, so we haven’t really had any time to adjust to the whole ‘being a couple’ thing. So, I thought, maybe if we spent some time doing something… romantic… maybe that would be a good start.” He explained. 

Riku smiled at that. He realized that he did a lot of that around Iori. Smiling, that is. “That’s actually really sweet. I love that idea.” He admitted and squeezed Iori’s hand. 

“Good.” Iori said, releasing a sigh of relief he had not even realized he had been holding. “Then, how about tomorrow night? You mentioned over the break that you were excited for that new superhero movie but wouldn’t have time to go see it. The last showing in the local cinema is tomorrow at seven, which gives us just enough time to be back at the house by ten.” He suggested. 

Riku brightened up even more at that. “Oh my god, I had totally forgotten about that! That sounds amazing! Maybe we could go get dinner somewhere before the movie starts as well?” He asked and Iori nodded in agreement. 

“Then it’s decided!” Riku exclaimed excitedly. He was in a very good mood now. As they kept walking, Riku realized they had come to a part of the school grounds that he had never been to before. “Iori, where are we now?” He asked curiously. 

Iori looked around for a bit, bit turned to Riku with a smirk. “I may have had another reason for asking you on this walk. I think I managed to figure out what that doll riddle was referring to by ‘athenaeum’.” He said. 

Riku’s eyes widened in surprise, he had not expected them to come up with anything on such a short amount of time. “Seriously? What did you come up with?” He asked excitedly. 

“Like I said before, athenaeum is another word for library, but it can’t refer to our school’s current library, which wasn’t built until 1978. I also checked when the local public library was built, but the original one burnt down 16 years ago, after which it moved into a new building. I’m guessing that doll is much older, if we’re assuming that it was left by Watanabe Ritsu.” Iori explained. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, that would make the most sense. Which means it couldn’t have been left later than 1922, so all the libraries that were built after that aren’t even options.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Right. That’s when I realized something. You wouldn’t know, because you missed the orientation that we had our during the first week of the first term, but there’s an old building out here that used to be part of the school until they started renovations in 1970. It’s called the Watanabe Library, because it was originally donated to the institution by Watanabe Ritsu and Akiko, along with the many books that make up its collection.” He explained. 

“Wait, wait, wait!” Riku exclaimed as he tugged on Iori’s hand to stop him in his tracks. Iori only turned and raised an eyebrow in question at the redhead. “You’re telling me that all this time there has been an entire building filled with books that were collected by the Watanabes, and you never told me?” He asked. 

Iori nodded, though he looked a bit unsure. “What if we had needed to go there in our search for the cup? I mean, we didn’t in the end, but it feels like something quite big to have left out considering how much of our search was related to the Watanabes!” Riku exclaimed. 

Iori smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, I honestly forgot that it even existed. No one’s allowed in there, it’s been empty since they closed it down. I only recalled it now because I assumed we were looking for an old library nearby.” He said. 

Riku sighed but nodded. “I guess it’s fine… But you think the doll riddle might be referring to the Watanabe Library?” He then asked, changing the subject back to the matter at hand. 

Iori nodded. “It makes sense, right?” He asked, sounding proud that he had thought of it. Riku smiled in response. “I should have known your romantic stroll would have taken us to an old and abandoned library. Somehow, this feels more like us than any proper date you could think of.” Riku said with an amused look on his face. 

Iori laughed. “Well, I must agree with you there.” He said. Then he spotted the library in the distance and pointed towards it. “There, you can see the building now!” He explained. 

Riku found it easily and nodded. It was smaller than he had expected it to be, a two story brick building with a sort of mini-tower on one end. Most of the windows were small and the walls were overgrown with different plants. It was clear that nobody had been there for a long time. 

Iori and Riku walked up to the door, Riku prepared himself for having to pick the lock to get inside, but he was surprised to find it to already be unlocked. He turned to Iori with a concerned expression and was just about to comment on how that was weird when he heard a familiar voice coming from inside. 

“Are you sure this is the right place?” It was the voice of their headmaster, Yaotome Sousuke. “It has to be, I can’t think of anywhere else!” This time it was Tsukumo who spoke. 

Riku gave Iori a troubled look. “We’re too late! Tsukumo already figured it out!” He whispered. Iori frowned. “But it sounds like he hasn’t found anything yet. Let’s sneak inside and see if he does find something.” He suggested. Riku nodded and then they carefully pushed the door open. 

Luckily for them, both Tsukumo and Sousuke had their backs to the door and there was a bookshelf covered by a white sheet right next to where they had entered that they could hide behind. The two of them sneaked from bookshelf to bookshelf, until they settled down on the ground behind another shelf in one of the corners. 

The interior of the library looked never and less worn down than the outside, much to both of their surprise. Sure, it was very dusty and almost all the furniture was covered by sheets, but it was still in very good shape, despite having been left alone for around fifty years. The walls on the first floor were painted yellow while those on the second floor were blue. There were dark, wooden bookshelves along the walls, and some were stood in the middle of the room, like the one Iori and Riku were currently crouching behind. There was also a spiraling staircase in black steel that connected the two floors. 

“What exactly are we looking for anyway?” Sousuke asked after a minute. “Some sort of hidden compartment, I would assume. ‘Lift the wings to find the book’ is what the riddle said. The Egyptian goddess Isis is depicted with wings, which only further strengthens my theory that we are searching for the Book of Isis.” Tsukumo explained. 

Sousuke sighed. “So, basically you want me to look for wings?” He asked. Tsukumo grunted, but the headmaster must have taken that as confirmation, because he didn’t ask anymore questions after that. 

“It wouldn’t be on a bookshelf… That’s too obvious, Ritsu was smarter than that…” Tsukumo speculated. “Lift the wings…” He then whispered. 

Riku and Iori carefully peeked out from behind the bookshelf and saw that Tsukumo had now moved over to the staircase, where he was now thoroughly inspecting the banister. “Lift the wings… to find the book…” He whispered again before he grabbed ahold of a steel ornament that adorned the banister. The more he looked at it, the more Riku thought they looked almost like wings. 

It seemed like Tsukumo had realized the same thing, because only a few seconds later, he lifted and twisted that part of the banister, which in turn opened a small compartment near the base of the staircase. "Yes!" Tsukumo exclaimed. 

Riku looked over at Iori in concern. “Let’s just keep watching for now.” Iori whispered back, but Riku could tell he was getting tenser by the minute. 

Sousuke quickly made his way over to Tsukumo and the staircase. “Did you find it? Is it the Book of Isis?” He asked eagerly. Tsukumo, who had knelt by the hatch was now searching through the compartment, which was made of stone but lined with some red fabric. 

“NO!” Tsukumo soon roared, making all three people in the room startle. “What is it?” Sousuke asked. “It’s gone!” Tsukumo exclaimed. “The Book of Isis is gone!” He added before gesturing to the evidently empty compartment. 

“Someone must have already found it! Now I may never learn its secrets…” Tsukumo said, clearly saddened by this outcome. Then he turned to the headmaster, looking suspicious. “Over the years, has anyone had access to this building?” He asked with narrowed eyes. 

Sousuke shook his head. “You and I are the first ones to set foot in here since 1970, when the library closed down. If someone took that book, it happened many years ago. I think it’s time to face it, Tsukumo. We have to give up on the elixir.” He said. 

Tsukumo sighed, but he didn’t argue with their headmaster. Riku and Iori both released a sigh of relief. “Without the book, it seems Tsukumo can’t brew more elixir. That means we should be able to leave this behind us now.” Riku whispered to Iori, both glad and a tad bit disappointed that this was all that came from the new riddle. 

Iori nodded and gave Riku a relieved smile. “Maybe we should get out of here before the other two. Otherwise, we’ll probably get locked in.” He said. Riku nodded in agreement and so they started making their way back towards the door. 

However, when he turned around, Iori knocked over a pile of books, which made a loud sound that undoubtedly caught Tsukumo and Sousuke’s attention. “Who’s there?” Tsukumo yelled angrily. 

Iori winced. “Sorry…” He mouthed to Riku. They could hear Tsukumo walking closer to them, pulling sheets off of other bookshelves and pieces of furniture. Riku held up a finger to his lips to tell Iori to be quiet, he also gestured for him to stay put and hope for the best. Iori only nodded in reply. 

However, it was almost inevitable that Tsukumo soon found himself stood in front of the bookshelf that the two were hiding behind. The moment the sheet was off the shelf, Tsukumo spotted Iori and Riku crouched down in the back. 

Riku and Iori gulped as Tsukumo glared down at them. “What are you two doing here?!” He roared angrily. Sousuke, who had also come over, also looked angry, but not nearly as suspicious as Tsukumo did. 

“We, uhm…” Riku started, but he had no idea how to explain their presence in the library. “We were just passing by and saw that the door was open. We worried someone might have broken in, so we just wanted to check it out.” Iori soon said, much to Riku’s relief. 

“Well, there is clearly no break in here, unless you count your own. Now, go on your way, you’re not supposed to be in here!” Sousuke said, seemingly content with that answer. 

Iori and Riku nodded before they started making their way to the door. “Wait a minute!” Tsukumo called out, making both of them stop in their tracks and turn around. Tsukumo walked over to them and held out his hands. “Your bags.” He said. 

“What?” Riku asked, to which Tsukumo sighed. “Nothing is allowed to leave this building, so give me your bags.” He demanded. Iori and Riku looked at each other, they knew he suspected that they had gotten there first and were the ones who had taken the book. But they both knew that none of them had anything weird in their bags, so they handed them over without a fight. 

Once Tsukumo was satisfied enough with his search he grunted and motioned for Iori and Riku to leave. The two boys grabbed their bags and then quickly left the Watanabe Library behind without sparing a second glance at the two men they left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there wasn't any book, but the mystery doesn't end here... Obviously, otherwise there wouldn't be much of a story! Either way, for those who are curious, here is a picture of the library in the House of Anubis TV series: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/the-house-of-anubis/images/6/65/Frobisher_Libaray.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20130717045048   
> And for those who are curious about the interior of it, some of it can be seen in pictures here, though they are admittedly not the best: https://the-house-of-anubis.fandom.com/wiki/Frobisher_Library_/_Gallery  
> I will be back with the next chapter on Saturday, so look forward to that! Thank you all so much for reading, and also thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and comments! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku has a strange dream, and the House of Anubis gets a sudden visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! Please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, just contact me over on Twitter: @EFagehag

It was only once Iori and Riku were far enough away that they could be certain that Tsukumo or their headmaster could not hear them that either boy even acknowledged what had just happened. “That was way too close!” Riku exclaimed, panting a bit from having left so quickly and from the adrenalin still pumping through his veins.

Iori nodded. “I honestly don’t know if that was successful or not.” He started. “I mean, we were found, so in that aspect we failed, but Tsukumo didn’t find this book and still can’t make the elixir, which was our goal.” He then added. 

Riku agreed. “Yeah, we just needed to make sure that Tsukumo didn’t find a way to start making it again, which we have. Sure, we might have just earned ourselves another punishment, but it could have been so much worse.” He said. 

Iori chuckled. “Second day back and we’ve already been discovered by Tsukumo twice doing something we shouldn’t. That doesn’t bode very well for the rest of the term.” He said, but in a way that sounded amused. 

Riku also laughed at that. “Hopefully, we might not have to sneak around as much as we did last term.” He said, making Iori smile. “You say that as if there will still be a little bit of sneaking around.” He pointed out. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “We live in the House of Anubis, I think it might be inevitable.” He said, which, once again, made Iori laugh. “I don’t think it’s the house, I think it’s all you. The most exciting thing I did before you arrived was join Yotsuba-san on one or two midnight trips to the kitchen.” Iori said with a smirk. 

A pout formed on Riku’s lips. “Is that a complaint?” He asked. Iori shook his head. “It was a compliment. You keep things interesting.” He said, making Riku smile. “Either way,” Riku said, changing the subject back to what they had just been through. “Now that the doll riddle has been solved and did not lead anywhere else, I believe our snooping is finished. For now.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “That’s true. No book, no recipe, no elixir. And since the Cup of Ankh was destroyed anyway, I think it’s safe to say we can let all of this go.” He said. Riku’s eyes widened as he was reminded of the fact that he STILL had not told Iori about the cup. Its presence in the house now felt like something he really should have made sure to tell his boyfriend by now, he just hadn’t been able to find a good moment. Although, he supposed he could do it now. 

“About the cup…” Riku started. However, before he got a proper chance to explain, someone interrupted them. “Iori! There you are, I’ve been looking for you!” They both turned around and saw Mitsuki heading straight towards them. 

“Nii-san…” Iori said, acknowledging his brother. “Why were you looking for me?” He then asked. Mitsuki rolled his eyes in reply. “You’re on chores duty tonight. Tsumugi asked for you.” He explained. 

Realization dawned on Iori’s face. “Oh right… I must have forgotten about that.” He said. “Well, no harm done as long as we head back now, yeah?” Mitsuki offered and Iori smiled and nodded in reply. 

As they started walking, Iori turned to Riku with a curious expression. “You were going to say something?” He asked, giving Riku an opportunity to finish what he started. However, Riku couldn’t tell Iori about the Cup of Ankh now that Mitsuki was there. And so, he simply shook his head and gave his boyfriend a smile. “I’ll tell you later.” 

Walking down the stairs of Anubis House, Riku felt that something was odd, something was different from how it usually was. The air was thick, but it wasn’t hard to breath, and even though the house was dark, everything seemed to glow. That was when it hit him. This was a dream. 

_‘If I am dreaming right now, does that mean…’_ Riku thought before he tried out his hypothesis. “Sara?” He called out. He had not had any dreams like these since he left the house before the break, and the old woman had featured in all of these dreams prior to that. 

However, once Riku finished descending the staircase, he could tell that Sara would not show up, not this time. She was gone, gone for good. While this made him sad, Riku was also relieved. If she did not visit his dreams, then at least she had been able to find her rest. 

Not knowing what else to do, Riku turned around in order to head back up the stairs and go back to his room. He did not get very far though, as near the bottom of the stairs Tsukumo was stood, staring at him with his cold and calculating gaze. 

Riku gasped as the older man had startled him. This was new, Tsukumo had not appeared in any of his dreams before. Riku did not know what to make of it, so instead he waited for the caretaker to make the first move. 

Soon, Tsukumo frowned, his gaze never leaving Riku’s own. “Dry your eyes, Chose One.” He said. 

Riku was confused at first, but then he felt something trickling down his cheek, and without thinking he reached up and wiped away whatever was leaking from his eyes with the back of his hand. Riku’s eyes widened in surprise as his hand now had some sort of golden residue on it. 

“Tears of gold…” He whispered, now even more confused than before. 

Riku looked up at Tsukumo again, to try and read his expression, but when he did, the older man was no longer there. In fact, nothing that had been there before was anywhere in sight, the scene had completely changed and Riku was now stood in front of the House of Anubis. Only, he seemed to be looking down on it from above. No, that wasn’t it either, the house was really tiny. 

That was when the rest of his surroundings became clear. He wasn’t outside at all, he was in the attic, looking down on the dollhouse that Tamaki had found the previous night. 

All of a sudden, the dollhouse lit up, as if someone had turned on the lights in the tiny rooms. Then, slowly, smoke started escaping from the chimneys, as if someone had lit a fireplace. There was a ringing sound that Riku could not quite place, it sounded like it was coming from the dollhouse, so he reached out for it and- 

And then he woke up. He was breathing hard and could feel the cold sweat running down his back, his neck, his limbs. The ringing from the dream had actually been the ringing of his alarm. Groaning at the effort it took, Riku sat up and quickly turned it off. 

_‘What a weird dream.’_

Throughout the day, Riku had on multiple occasions considered consulting Iori about the dream he'd had that night, but he found himself a little distracted. Between hanging out with the others, classes and thinking about his and Iori’s date that very same night, Riku barely had time to think about his dream at all. In fact, by the time he was walking back to the house, he had forgotten most of it. 

It didn’t bother him that much though, as he had other things on his mind. Namely, his first date. Riku could tell that it was getting to Iori as well, mainly through the many tiny and shy smiles they had shared throughout the day. 

Right now, he was walking back to the house with Iori and Tamaki in tow. Tenn had headed off to find Gaku and Ryuu as soon as school ended, which Riku supposed he should feel lucky for, seeing as his brother probably would have tried to intervene if he learned what Riku was doing tonight. 

However, the moment the three friends stepped inside Anubis House they got themselves a shock, a shock that came to change that entire evening. Because standing in the hallway of Anubis House, chatting with Tsumugi about who knows what, was Riku’s grandmother. 

“Gran?!” Riku exclaimed in shock, which caused the older woman to turn around and give her grandson a bright smile. “Riku! Finally, you are back from school! Now come here, give me a hug.” She said while winking. 

Riku let out a breathy laugh, one of those where you got a surprise that you were equal parts happy and confused about, before he walked right into his grandmother’s embrace. “What are you doing here?” He asked as he pulled back a minute later. 

His grandmother smiled at him. “I told you I would come visit!” She exclaimed. “Yeah, Gran, but we left like three days ago! And what’s with the bag, you look like you’re planning to stay for a long time.” He said, eyeing her ginormous suitcase. 

“Okay, so my apartment flooded, and I have to wait a week to get my temporary replacement while they fix it up, which should take around two months. I was going to stay with your parents, but then I thought I might as well take this chance to come visit!” His grandmother explained. 

“Oh my god.” Riku exclaimed. “Gran, are you okay?” He asked in concern, but she just waved him off. “Of course I am! It was just a little bit of water!” She said, as if her apartment flooded was something that happened every other week or so. 

“Oh my!” Tsumugi exclaimed as she heard the old lady’s explanation. “Well, it’s a bit sudden, and not usually how we do things, but if it’s only for a week, maybe you could stay here.” She said kindly, as caring as always. 

“Really? She can stay? Won’t Tsukumo just chase her out?” Riku asked in surprise. Tsumugi smiled and shook her head. “Don’t you worry about that, I’ll talk to him about it. Why don’t you boys help your Gran bring her things up to your room? She’ll have to stay in there, I believe. I’ll bring you an extra mattress in a few minutes.” The housemother explained. 

Riku nodded and thanked her before she left. “Now then…” His grandmother started, and Riku could see her closing in on Iori and Tamaki, who had watched in silence from a distance as the scene played out. “Who do we have here?” She asked. 

Tamaki was the first to snap out of it and eagerly extended his hand for her to shake. “Yotsuba Tamaki! I’m classmates with both Rikkun and Tenten.” He explained. 

Then Iori stepped forward and mirrored Tamaki’s actions, holding out a hand for the older woman to shake while smiling politely, wanting to make a good impression on her. “Izumi Iori, I’m also a classmate.” He said. 

The older woman seemed to perk up at that. “Oh my! Izumi Iori! You are the boy my grandson seems so infatuated with! He told me a lot about you over winter break.” She exclaimed smugly. 

Riku flushed in embarrassment. “Gran! Stop it!” He said, but she only laughed out loud. 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you both. My name is Nanase Emi and I’m excited to be staying with you for these next couple of days!” Emi introduced herself before she grabbed her bag and asked Riku to show the way to his room where she would be staying. 

Before leaving with her, Riku leaned in closer to Iori with an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry, but I think we’re going to have to take a raincheck on that date. Now that Gran is here and all…” He said, feeling a bit bad about it. 

Iori only shook his head and smiled understandingly. “It’s fine, I get it. We’ll just have to do it later, yeah?” He says. Riku smiled and nodded before he went to take Emi up to the room he shares with Nagi. 

Dinner that evening was unusually rowdy. Despite being over seventy years old, Nanase Emi was probably the most energetic person in the house. And she would not stop talking. She had taken an extra liking to Iori after learning that he and Riku were not only friends, but boyfriends. And she had thus spent the majority of the evening chatting his ear off about Riku’s childhood, which Iori loved to hear about but even he got tired when she wouldn’t leave any room to breath in between her different stories. 

It had been surprisingly easy to get Tsukumo to agree to letting her stay, though it was probably more in resignation than anything. Also, Emi had called him handsome, which might have contributed to his ego, thus making him more willing to let her stay for a couple of days. 

Riku had, with the help of Tsumugi, Tenn and Nagi, taken care of setting Emi up in his and Nagi’s room. She would be sleeping in his bed while Riku would take the extra mattress until she could leave. 

All in all, it had been a pretty fun, yet tiring night, so for once every single one of the Anubis House residents were ready to tuck in by ten o’clock, much to Tsukumo’s delight. 

Before separating though, Iori had pulled Riku aside. “So, about that date, do you want to do something tomorrow night?” He asked expectantly. 

Riku smiled excitedly at first, then frowned. “I would love to, but I don’t think I should leave the house unnecessarily while Gran is still here…” He replied, feeling guilty that he would have to decline Iori’s offer, even though he really wanted to accept. 

Iori didn’t appear to be let down by his answer though, as he was still smiling fondly at Riku. “Then how about we just have a date here in the house?” He asked smugly, making Riku raise an eyebrow in confusion. “In the house? How would that work? We’re not going to be able to be alone anywhere, someone will just barge in.” He said. 

Iori shook his head. “Don’t worry, leave the preparation to me. Just stay awake until your Gran and Rokuya-san falls asleep, I’ll meet you in the hallway.” He said and Riku nodded in agreement before watching Iori turn around and leave. 

The next day passed by in a blur. Once school let out, Riku and Tenn had shown their grandmother around campus before returning to the house, and after that everyone were taken in by Emi’s seemingly endless energy. They talked, ate, and played games all night until it was time to go to bed. 

Just like Iori had asked him to do, Riku had stayed awake. His Gran fell asleep within minutes, he could tell by her snoring which started just a few minutes after the lights had been put out. Nagi took a bit longer, but soon Riku could tell he was asleep as well. He stayed in bed for another ten minutes, just for good measure, then he sat up, grabbed a hoodie, and quietly left the room. 

The moment he exited his bedroom, Riku could see Iori sneaking past Tsukumo’s office. “Hey, good timing.” He whispered, holding out his hand for Iori to grab. Iori smiled and used his non-occupied hand to take ahold of Riku’s outstretched one. In the other was a bag with a blanket and some other things in it. “Perfect timing.” Iori responded, a shy smile on his face. 

“So,” Riku started. “Where are we going?” He asked. Iori flushed. “Okay, so it’s not the most romantic place, perhaps, but it was the only place I could think of where we didn’t have to worry about being disturbed.” He said as he pointed down the hallway to the door leading to the attic. 

Riku raised an eyebrow. “Unless it plays out like last time.” He pointed out. “I have a feeling it won’t.” Iori responded, making Riku chuckle. 

The two boys then sneaked down the hallway and up the stairs to the attic. Iori started setting things up in a similar way to what they did last time they were up there. The blanket was laid out on the floor, tins and boxes with snacks were placed in the middle, and candles were lit. 

Riku and Iori were both sat down on the blanket now. “It may not be dinner and a movie, but it’s better than nothing.” Iori said, making Riku giggle. “Oh, for sure. Besides, the attic may be dark and cold and creepy at the best of times, but it is a special place in a way. It’s where all of this started. It’s what brought us together.” He said. 

Iori smiled. “I remember being really worried when Yaotome-san forced you to go up here alone that first time.” He said. “You even tried to stop me.” Riku added. 

“You know, after I learned that you were going back and offered to accompany you, I actually went back to my room and kind of freaked out because I wasn’t supposed to go up here, nobody was. But there was always this part of me that just couldn’t let you go alone.” Iori said, though Riku could see a blush forming on the other’s cheeks and knew he must be feeling a bit embarrassed to be admitting this. 

“Well, I’m really glad you did come with me that night.” Riku admitted while reaching forward and interlacing his fingers with Iori’s own, smiling softly at him all the while. “So am I.” Iori agreed. 

And then the two slowly started leaning in closer. Apart from that little kiss on the cheek that Riku had given Iori before their first day of classes since coming back, the two had not kissed since the night of the end of term party. But now it felt right, it was just the two of them and the pull to be closer together was strong. 

They were only centimeters apart when Riku allowed his eyes to flutter closed. He could feel Iori’s breath on his lips and just as they were about to connect, a strong light hit Riku’s face, which made him groan and pull back. 

Iori was confused at the sudden loss of warmth, and so both boys turned around and looked at where the light was coming from. It turned out that it was a section of the wall that had started emanating a piercing glow, or rather, the outlines of that section of wall. 

Riku immediately understood what was happening and stood up, cursing under his breath as he walked over to the wall. “I’m going to have to move it if it keeps doing that.” He said, looking back at Iori, who was still looking really confused. “Move what? What’s happening?” He asked. 

Riku gave Iori an apologetic look. “I meant to tell you earlier, but the timing always seemed wrong!” Riku said. “Remember how I needed to do something before going back to the party last term?” He then asked and Iori nodded. 

“Well…” Riku started as he fished out his locket, which was also glowing, and unlocked the new hidden compartment. 

Iori stared in awe as Riku took out the Cup of Ankh from a shelf-looking place in the wall. “No way…” He said. “I thought it was destroyed! Didn’t Kujou-san throw it into the fire?” Iori continued as he walked up to Riku and the cup, which stopped glowing the moment Riku picked it up. 

Riku shook his head, he was about to explain when they heard the door downstairs open, followed by someone making their way up to the attic. In a panic, Riku quickly hid the cup behind his own back, praying that it wasn’t Tsukumo who came up the stairs. 

The door opened and in came Tamaki. “Yotsuba-san?!” Iori exclaimed letting out a sigh of relief at the same time as Riku did. “What are you doing here?” Iori then continued to ask. 

Tamaki pouted. “Well, I noticed you sneaking out, and when you sneak out in the middle of the night, it’s usually Sibuna related. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” He complained. 

Iori just sighed in exasperation and shook his head. “It was supposed to be a date.” He said pointedly, glaring at Tamaki. 

“Oh…” Tamaki said as realization hit him. Then he smiled. “That’s really romantic!” He exclaimed before looking around the room and frowning. “And a bit strange.” He added. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “We couldn’t leave the house now that my Gran is here, and we didn’t want anyone to disturb us.” He explained. Tamaki chuckled and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry about that…” He said. 

Riku shook his head. “It’s fine, I’m glad it was you. It would have been difficult to explain this to someone who isn’t a part of Sibuna. Especially if it was Tsukumo.” Riku said before bringing the Cup of Ankh out from behind his back. 

Tamaki’s eyes widened in shock as he saw what Riku was holding. “Wait, is that the cup? The same cup that Tenten’s crazy stepdad destroyed?” He asked as he walked over so that he was now stood closer to Iori and Riku. 

Riku nodded. “I was just explaining to Iori,” He started, giving Iori a small smile. “That as we were leaving the cellar that night, I heard these whispers telling me that it wasn’t over, that I needed to get the cup. So, after you guys left, I went back down there, opened the hatch to the incinerator and the cup was just stood there. Right in the center of it, but the flames couldn’t touch it. It was even cold when I grabbed ahold of it.” He started to explain. 

“Wait, so after that you hid it up here? Has that compartment always been there?” Iori asked, gesturing to the hole in the wall. 

Riku shook his head. “No, after I got it, I think I saw the spirits of Watanabe Ritsu, Akiko and Sara. They thanked me and told me I needed to protect the cup. Then they just sort of vanished.” He said. 

“No way, you saw their ghosts?!” Tamaki asked in shock and Riku nodded. “Their spirits were trapped by the curse since they took the cup from Tutankhamun’s tomb. They couldn’t find piece until it was put together and in safe hands again.” He explained. 

“But if you didn’t put it here, did you bring it with you over the break?” Iori then asked, wanting to know what Riku had done with it for such a long time. 

Again, Riku shook his head. “No, but I didn’t want to leave it in the house, since Tsukumo was going to be the only one here while we were gone. So, I hid it in the school because nobody would be there over the break. Under a loose floorboard in the auditorium that I discovered while we were working on the play.” He explained. 

Realization dawned on Iori’s face. “When you first came back, you said that you needed to head over to the school. That’s when you retrieved the cup, isn't it?” He asked and Riku nodded this time. “Yeah, I intended to show it to you all that night and then we could have looked for a good hiding place together. But then the others crashed our meeting and Tsukumo found us. In the end, my locket showed me this new hidden compartment and I hid it there.” He said. 

“So, that’s what happened…” Iori said. Riku leaned in closer with a worried expression on his face. “Are you mad I didn’t tell you until now? I tried to tell you the other day when we were walking back to the house, but Mitsuki interrupted me. Then we never really got a chance to be alone, what with Gran coming and all…” He said. 

Iori smiled and shook his head. “No, I’m not mad. But what are supposed to do with it?” He asked. “Yeah, what happens now? I mean, we can’t guard it all day, every day.” Tamaki agreed. 

Riku frowned. “I’m not sure. For now, I think it may be best just to leave it up here. Tsukumo has no reason to believe that there is another hidden compartment up here. And even if he did, he doesn’t have my locket.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Besides, he spends a lot more time in his office and in the cellar than up here. He probably believes there is nothing more to find. As long as we don’t give away the fact that the cup wasn’t destroyed, he has no reason to come looking for it.” He said. 

And so, Riku put the cup back in the compartment, closed it with the locket, and so they were done with that. He looked back over at the blanket and everything that had been set up and frowned. “I think maybe we should head down for now. We made a bit of noise, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tsukumo came looking.” He said. 

Iori, while obviously a bit disappointed, nodded understandingly as he started cleaning things up. “And let’s not talk about the cup to anyone else. We’ll tell Nagi and Sougo-san if it’s necessary, but I’d like to keep this from as many people as possible.” Riku said just before the three boys headed back down from the attic. 

The House of Anubis was dark and silent, it was the middle of the night and no movement could be seen throughout the building. It had been an hour or two since Riku, Iori and Tamaki left the attic, and unbeknownst to them, the Cup of Ankh was glowing once more. And so, nobody was there to see what happened next. 

The light from the cup went out and a dark mist started seeping from the cracks in the wall, flowing down to the floor. The black mist kept going, moving through the room, down the stairs and through the hallway. Then, it found what it was looking for. 

It made its way into the bedroom by going under the door, then towered up before the young, redheaded boy sleeping on the matrass on the floor. The mist started shifting, slowly forming into the shape of a person, and soon, the dark echo of a woman long since forgotten stood by the Chosen One’s bedside, smiling and looking pleased with what she was about to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh, who might the misty/shadowy person be? And what does she want with Riku? Wait and find out! I'll be back on Wednesday with the next chapter, so stay tuned! Thank you so much for reading this chapter! And also for leaving kudos and comments, everyone who does that really makes me super happy! <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukumo recieves a an offer that sparks new hope, Tsumugi starts clearing out the attic, Tamaki gets Riku a gift and Riku gets a visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am back with a new chapter, please enjoy it! If you have anyquestions or just feel like chatting a bit, you can contact me over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

Tsukumo Ryou was at his wits end. Finding the doll, hearing the riddle, going to the Watanabe Library for the first time in decades, it had all lit a spark of hope in him. A hope that maybe he would be able to recreate his father’s recipe after all. His father had found the secrets, so the answers must lay hidden somewhere, he just had to find them.

The more he thought about it though, the more Tsukumo seemed to realize something. Maybe his father had been the one who solved the doll’s riddle. The doll was not something that he himself had placed in the attic, so it must have been placed there either by his father or the Watanabes. And if his father found the doll, solved its riddle and found the Book of Isis, that meant that he had found the recipe for the elixir. Maybe that was how he learned to make it the first time. 

But if his father found it, then the book had to be somewhere in the house, and Tsukumo had time and time again searched the house from top to bottom. Maybe his father was not the one who found it after all. It wasn’t like he could ask him either. He had been dead for decades. 

There was a knock on his door, pulling Tsukumo out of his thoughts. He called for whoever was there to enter and then Tsumugi stepped inside. She had that eager expression on her face, the one that told Tsukumo that she wanted something from him. 

Tsumugi cleared her throat. “I’ve been thinking, ever since Tenn-san and Riku-san’s grandmother came to visit it has become apparent that we aren’t really equipped for these kinds of situations. Receiving overnight guests, I mean.” She started. Tsukumo only nodded for her to continue. 

“So, I thought, what if we made a guestroom?” Tsumugi then suggested, making Tsukumo furrow his brows in distaste. “We are not renovating to add a new room to this house. It’s ancient, I’d like to keep it as it was.” He said simply. 

However, Tsumugi only shook her head, as if he had misunderstood her. “That’s not quite what I meant. I was thinking, if you would give me permission, I could clear out the attic and turn that into a spare bedroom. There has to be a lot there that we don’t need, and the rest we can surely keep in the cellar, in here or the cupboard under the stairs.” The housemother explained. 

Tsukumo was about to decline her again, but when he thought about it some more, he realized there might be something in it for him. First of all, the Cup of Ankh had already been found (and destroyed) so he wouldn’t have to worry about that being lost in all the ruckus. Secondly, he could have her go through everything that was up there and bring all books to him so that he could look through them. Maybe luck would be on his side and the Book of Isis would turn up before him. 

Having made up his mind, Tsukumo sighed and nodded. “I suppose that could be an option. I have a few objects up there that I would like to keep, so just wait for me to pick those up and then you can start. I want you to put all the books you can find, no matter how insignificant, here in my office. If you find something valuable, put it in the cellar, I’ll go through it later. You can throw the rest out.” He said. 

Tsumugi beamed at him, clearly pleased by his answer. “That’s great! Let me know when I can start, and I’ll get right to it!” She exclaimed before leaving the office. 

Tsukumo sighed again and opened up his computer. He needed to check his email before he got started on the attic. He saw that there was a new email from someone he did not recognize. Opening it up, Tsukumo’s eyes widened. “Oh, this is perfect…” He whispered. 

The mail was sent out to the staff at schools that had some sort of historical value. Apparently there was a wandering exhibition that would be hosted at one of these schools for a while, and Yaotome Academy had been nominated to host the exhibit, amongst nine other schools. 

The exhibit was called ‘Treasures of Egypt’ and Tsukumo only knew of it because it had come up when he was doing research on the Book of Isis. The exhibit held a few old texts in ancient Egyptian, some of which also appeared in the Book of Isis. If he was lucky, the recipe could be amongst them, even if there wasn’t a guarantee. 

Tsukumo closed his computed. He would get to the attic real soon, he just needed to go have a talk with Sousuke first. The school had to accept the nomination. And they had to their best to win it as well. 

“Crap, crap, crap! I’m not going to make it!” Tamaki managed to get out between breaths as he was running all the way back to the house. It was still lunch break, but only ten minutes before their next class started. Tamaki had just realized that he had forgotten his english homework on his desk back in the house. He must have forgotten to put it in his bag after he finished it late last night. 

Normally, one trip between the school and Anubis House took around ten minutes, so he really had to run if he were to make it back to school in time for their english class to start. But he was not giving up yet. 

When Tamaki reached the house, however, he stopped when he saw an unusual sight. He saw Tsumugi loading bags and boxes and a few pieces of furniture into her car. He walked up to her then, feeling curious as to what she was doing. “Tsumugi! What are you doing?” 

Tsumugi turned around to face him and smiled. “Oh, I’m emptying the attic! Tsukumo gave me permission to turn it into a guestroom! These are all things that we’re throwing away, and it’s not even a tenth of all that is up there… It’s going to take a long time.” She explained. 

“I see.” Tamaki said, he was about to head inside when something else caught his eyes. On the yard in front of the house stood the dollhouse that Tamaki had hit his shin on that first night back in the house. “Are you throwing that away too?” He asked, making Tsumugi turn back around to face him again. 

Tsumugi looked at where Tamaki was pointing, then smiled and nodded. “Yes, no one here is going to be playing with dolls anytime soon, it will just be taking up unnecessary space in the house.” She explained. 

Tamaki frowned, he thought it was a bit of a shame to throw it out, it was pretty cool to have a miniature of Anubis House, after all. Creepy for sure, but also cool. Besides, he had seen Riku eyeing it that time in the attic and thought that maybe it was something his friend would want. 

With that in mind, Tamaki once again called out to Tsumugi. “Tsumugi, if I wanted to keep the dollhouse, would you let me?” He asked. 

Tsumugi looked a bit taken aback by the request, but nodded nonetheless. “I suppose… But you would have to keep it in your own room, it won’t fit anywhere else in the house.” She said, making Tamaki nod excitedly and thank her. 

Tamaki picked the dollhouse up, it was surprisingly heavy, and grunted as he carried it inside. At first, he took it to his and Iori’s room, but it only took him a few seconds to realize that they didn’t really have anywhere to put it. 

_‘Wait… If Rikkun wanted it, wouldn’t it make more sense if it was in his room? Besides, he and Nagicchi have a much bigger room than we do.’_ Tamaki thought. He then grunted and forced himself to carry the heavy dollhouse up the stairs and into Riku and Nagi’s room. The two had an almost empty table near the window, so Tamaki put the dollhouse down on Riku’s bed, quickly moved the few objects on the table to Nagi’s desk and then put the dollhouse on there. 

It was then that he caught sight of the clock on the table and realized just why he had gone back to the house in the first place. “Shit! Class started two minutes ago!” He yelled as he ran down the stairs, into his room, grabbed his homework and rushed back to school. 

Later that, when Tamaki, Riku and Iori got back to the house, they all decided to go up and study in Riku’s room so that he could then leave and hang out some more with his Gran. However, when they got there, Riku was taken aback by the sight that greeted him. 

Nagi noticed them come in and quickly turned to Riku. “Hey, when did you take that dollhouse down from the attic?” He asked curiously, while Riku only shook his head. “I didn’t take it down… Why is it in here?” He asked. 

“Oh, that was me.” Tamaki said, catching all of their attention. “Why?” Nagi asked, to which Tamaki only shrugged. “When I went back to get my homework, I saw Tsumugi emptying the attic. She was going to throw that away and I thought I saw you eyeing it while we were up there the first night back.” Tamaki explained while looking at Riku. 

“Wait, did you say Tsumugi was emptying the attic?” Riku asked and Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, she mentioned something about turning it into a guest bedroom, so she’s throwing most of it away.” He explained. 

Riku looked over at Iori and the raven-haired boy could see the concern look on his boyfriend’s face, immediately understanding what had him worried. Iori leaned in close to Riku’s ear and placed a comforting hand at the other’s lower back. “I’m sure it’s fine. The cup is well hidden behind that secret panel.” He whispered. 

Riku smiled up at Iori and nodded. He supposed that Tsumugi wouldn’t have any reason to believe there to be any hidden compartments up in the attic. And so, Riku turned back to Tamaki and smiled. “Thank you for getting that dollhouse, I kind of liked it.” He said. 

Tamaki grinned back. “No problem! You’ll have to keep it in here though, Tsumugi don’t want it anywhere else in the house, and mine and Iorin’s room is too small.” He explained. Riku nodded in agreement. 

That night, Riku found himself drifting in and out of sleep. When he woke up for the third time that night he sat up and sighed. It wasn’t a mystery to him why he had trouble sleeping, he was feeling anxious about the cup now that Tsumugi had started clearing out the attic. 

Riku laid back down and tried telling himself that he was just being paranoid and that everything was perfectly fine as it was. He really just wanted to go to sleep properly by now. When he finally thought he might drift off, he heard something. _“Chosen One…”_ Someone whispered, making Riku sit up again. Now he was really feeling anxious. 

Thinking that maybe he could calm down if he sneaked up to the attic to assure himself that the cup was still safely hidden away, Riku left the bed, slipped his feet into a pair of slippers and grabbed a flashlight from his desk. Then he carefully left the room as to not wake Nagi or his Gran up. 

Riku made his way through the hallway and up the stairs to the attic before he pulled out his locket and held it up to the indentation in the wall that marked where the hidden compartment was. It opened up without any problem and Riku let out a sigh of relief as he saw that the Cup of Ankh was still there. Other than the fact that the attic was starting to look really bare, everything was the same as when he last left it. 

Having calmed down, Riku thought he could just head back down to his bedroom to finally get some proper sleep. And so, he put the cup back where it had been and closed the compartment. However, when Riku turned around to head back downstairs, he realized he was not alone up there. 

Riku’s eyes widened and he almost jumped back into the wall in fright as he was face to face with a woman he had never seen before. He could tell something was off, seeing as she was both see-through, monochrome, and surrounded by some sort of black mist. She wore a dress that made her seem like she had come straight out of one of their books about ancient Egypt. Her face was neutral and her cold, black eyes stared at him as if she could see straight into his soul. 

Riku let out a whimper as he realized that whoever she was, whatever she was, she was most definitely not alive. 

The woman’s neutral expression soon turned into one of delight, but it made her seem more intimidating than anything. “How I have waited! Like Isis waited for Osiris! You have freed me, Chosen One!” The lady exclaimed. 

Riku gulped, feeling really unsure of what to do in this situation. So, he did the first thing that came into his mind. “Who are you? What do you want?” He asked. 

“The day will come when everyone will know my name!” The lady exclaimed, looking off into the distance as if she was imagining it right now. Riku couldn’t help but feel that she was rather odd, though he did not dare tell her that to her face. 

Soon, the lady snapped out of her fantasies and turned back to Riku, her expression both serious and expectant at the same time. “Find it! Bring it! And you shall weep tears of gold!” She demanded. 

Riku frowned. _‘Tears of gold again? Just what are they?’_ He thought, though he did not think to ask her about it. Instead, he asked the other thing he was wondering about from her previous statement. “What do you want me to find?” 

Her expression changed again, this time she looked at him as if the answer should be obvious, as if it was something that he should have known. “The Mask of Anubis, child. Find it before anyone else!” She demanded. 

Riku was confused, what was the Mask of Anubis? Why did she want him to find it? And how was he even supposed to do what she asked? However, he did not get much of a chance to dwell on these thoughts as the lady walked forward, her expression was now one of anger as she practically pushed him up against the wall. “Find the mask… Or forfeit your life.” 

With a startled gasp, Riku sat up in his bed, panting hard and looking around the room disoriented. “Are you alright, sweetie?” He heard a woman ask, and for a second, he thought it might be the lady from the attic, but it was just his Gran. 

Having calmed down, if only a little bit, Riku reached out and turned off his alarm, then gave his grandmother a tired smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. The alarm just startled me is all.” He said, and Emi, who was already dressed and ready to go, told him she would be heading down to breakfast. 

Once he was alone, Riku rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried to calm down his racing heart. _‘It was just a dream… Nothing but a nightmare…’_ He thought. Because how could it have been something else? It had to have been a dream. 

Thinking that, Riku started getting dressed and then headed downstairs to join the others for breakfast. It was Saturday today, so there was no school. However, everyone was still up early and were also wearing their uniforms. During their final class yesterday, the headmaster had come to tell them that he was going to announce something the next day, so they would all have to go to the school this morning to listen to whatever it was he had to say. 

Riku barely said a word as he sat down in his seat between Iori and Tenn, instead he just started eating and tried to pay attention to what was happening around the table, even though his mind was a bit occupied. 

To his left, Iori was giving him a concerned look, though Riku did not seem to notice the attention he was getting. Sighing, Iori decided to ask him about it later, when they were not surrounded by everyone else, and then went back to his breakfast. 

On his other side, Iori could literally feel someone staring holes in him, so he turned around with a questioning look, only to be met by the twins’ grandmother. “Trouble in paradise?” She asked with a small smile. 

Iori furrowed his brows. “What makes you think that?” He asked. “You look concerned, and that sigh you just let out? Also, my grandson seems distracted by something, so I was wondering if something happened.” Emi explained. 

Iori simply shook his head while also silently thanking the old lady for keeping her voice down. There was no reason to give the entire table the idea that Riku and Iori were struggling with their relationship. “Well, I don’t believe that there is any trouble right now. Maybe he’s just a bit distracted, or stressed, or something.” Iori told Emi. 

Emi sighed and motioned for Iori to lean in closer. “You want my advice, boy?” She asked. Iori had a bad feeling about where this was going, but he did not want to seem rude, so he decided to indulge her. “Sure.” He thus answered. 

Emi smiled, seemingly pleased with that answer. “I think you should make a big, romantic gesture to show my grandson that you love him.” She said. 

Iori almost choked on his drink. That was not what he had been expecting at all. He turned back to her. “I don’t quite know if big, romantic gestures are my thing…” He said, a bit unsure about all of this. 

Emi raised an eyebrow. “Everybody loves a big and romantic gesture! I’ll even help you! You could write him a poem! Or perhaps a song!” She suggested. 

Iori did not feel that comfortable with that idea, at least not yet. They had not been dating that long after all. He was about to argue with her, but one of the other guys called out to Emi and she thus diverted her attention and started talking to them instead. Iori sighed. Again. 

Riku, despite sitting right there, had not even noticed Iori talking to his grandmother, much less what had been said between them. His mind was still occupied by that dream, it just felt so real. _“Chosen One…”_ Riku tensed up as he heard that. Those were the same whispers from last night. 

He gulped down his nerves and turned over to Iori. Riku could not take this anymore, he felt like he was going crazy. He needed to talk to someone about what had happened. And so, he poked Iori’s arm, thus catching the other boy’s attention. “Iori, could you come with me for a second? I need to talk to you…” Riku said. 

Iori was immediately alert once he saw the worried expression on Riku’s face. So, he nodded and immediately stood up, sensing that this was not something the redhead wanted to talk about at the dining table. 

Riku followed suit and then the two excused themselves and left. Though both Iori and Riku noticed the glares that Tenn sent their way as the two of them left the table together. Riku took Iori up to his bedroom, closed the door and then turned to face him. 

Iori looked at Riku in concern. “What’s wrong? You’ve been distracted all morning… Did something happen?” He asked. 

“I had the weirdest dream last night and now I can’t stop thinking about it.” Riku said. Iori frowned and reached out to take ahold of Riku’s hand, then dragging him over so that they could sit down, side by side, on Riku’s bed. “Tell me about it?” Iori offered. 

Riku nodded and took a deep breath before starting. “Last night, I couldn’t quite stop worrying about leaving the cup in the attic now that Tsumugi is clearing it out. I mean, I know that’s most likely the safest place for it at the moment, but even so, I just couldn’t stop thinking about it”. He started, and Iori nodded to show that he was listening. 

“And I kept waking up and falling asleep again, and the third time it happened, I swear, I thought I heard these whispers. It was like somebody was calling me, Iori! Saying ‘Chosen One’ all mysterious and stuff… I couldn’t just ignore it! So, I decided that I should just go and check on the cup, to make sure that everything was fine and then go back to bed.” Riku kept explaining. 

“Okay, wait.” Iori interrupted. “I’m a bit lost… Was this something you actually did or was it just a dream?” He asked. 

Riku frowned. “At the time, I thought it was actually happening. I mean, it felt super real. But it had to have been a dream! I don’t know how I else to explain what happened next.” He said and Iori nodded, showing he understood. 

Riku continued. “So anyway, I go to the attic and I check on the cup. Everything is fine, the cup was where we left it, it didn’t shine or do anything weird, so I assumed everything was okay. I was just about to go back, but when I turn around, there’s this ghost lady standing behind me!” He exclaimed. 

Iori arched his eyebrows in question. “A ghost lady?” He asked. Riku nodded. “Yes! She was surrounded by this black mist, and I could practically see through her! She had the darkest, meanest eyes I’ve ever seen, and she looked like she had come straight from some historical drama! Like, she could have been some sort of Egyptian royalty.” He explained. 

“So, in this dream, you were visited by the ghost of some sort of ancient Egyptian princess? Queen?” Iori asked and Riku nodded. “I mean, I don’t actually know if she was royalty. She wouldn’t answer when I asked her who she was.” He said. 

“What did she want?” Iori asked. “She wanted me to find this mask.” Riku said. “She told me to find and bring her the Mask of Anubis, whatever that is.” He then added. 

“The Mask of Anubis… I’ve never heard of that.” Iori said, looking deep in thought. “Why does she want you to find it?” He then asked. 

Riku shook his head. “I don’t know. But Iori, I’m really scared. She said that if I didn’t do what she asked, I had to forfeit my life.” He said, face full of worry. 

Iori frowned at that. “Forfeit your life? Like, dying? Did she threaten to kill you if you didn’t find this mask?” He asked, suddenly feeling the gravity of this situation. 

Riku sighed again. “I don’t know!” He exclaimed. “I mean, it was just a dream, right? So, it’s fine, right?” He asked, desperate for someone to tell him what was going on. 

Iori reached out and took both of Riku’s hands in his own, stroking circles on them with his thumb, hoping it would be comforting. “I wish I could tell you whether or not it was real. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I honestly don’t know. It could just be a dream, like you said. But you’ve had strange dreams, dreams that mattered, before. What if she’s a real threat?” He asked. 

Riku averted his gaze, so Iori brought one hand up to his cheek and turned Riku’s head around to face him again. “Listen, whatever happens next, no matter if this was just a nightmare or an actual ghost, I’m here for you, okay? If it turns out that you have to find this… Mask of Anubis, then I’ll help you.” He said. 

Riku smiled up at him. “Thank you, Iori.” He said, and he really meant it. There was no one he trusted more to help him with whatever this was. Iori returned the smile. “Don’t thank me.” He said, then he leaned forward and softly pressed his lips to Riku’s own. 

Riku’s eyes widened momentarily before fluttering shut as he leaned further into Iori. Riku used his free hand to reach up and grab onto Iori’s shoulder while his other still gripped Iori’s one hand. 

They separated for a moment and Iori gave Riku a soft smile. “I’ve wanted to do that since you came back…” He admitted, and Riku could not tell whether the blush on Iori’s cheeks were from the kiss or from what he had just said. He didn’t think too hard about it though, instead he smiled back and admitted something too. “So have I.” 

Then, the two boys leaned back in for a second kiss, this one just as soft and sweet as the last. It didn’t last long, however, as the door was forcefully swung open, startling the two boys enough to pull away. 

In the doorway stood Tenn. He was smiling, but Iori could practically see the murderous intent coming off if him and gulped down his nerves before scooting away from Riku. “Tenn-nii…” Riku said, eyes wide and cheeks flushed from embarrassment. 

Tenn did not comment on what he had walked in on, but he never once stopped staring at Iori, and it was not a friendly look. “We are all about to leave. You will be late if you don’t join us.” He reminded them. 

Riku looked at the clock. “Right! The headmaster’s announcement!” He exclaimed and stood up. “We’ll be down in one minute, just wait for us there, okay?” He said, trying to get his brother to leave them alone. 

Tenn sighed, and both Iori and Riku could tell that he did not like leaving them alone again, but he agreed nonetheless. Once Tenn was gone, Riku turned to Iori with an apologetic smile before leaning down to grab his bag, which had somehow been placed under his bed. However, once he took his bag, he froze in shock at what he saw behind it. 

“Iori.” Riku called out softly, but his voice was full of worry. Iori stood up and gave his boyfriend a concerned look. “What’s wrong?” He asked. Riku reached in under the bed to pull something out, but Iori couldn’t see what it was. 

“I don’t think it was a dream anymore.” Riku admitted as he turned around, holding the Cup of Ankh in his hands. 

Iori’s eyes widened in shock. “You brought it down?” He asked. Riku shook his head. “I didn’t think I did! I don’t remember what happened after that ghost lady told me to find the mask! One moment I was stood before her, and the next I was back in my bed, my alarm going off!” He exclaimed. 

Iori gulped. “Okay, we’re going to have to come back to this later. We’re already running late, so you’re going to have to bring that cup with you. We can’t risk leaving it here.” He said and Riku nodded in agreement. Riku couldn’t explain what was happening, but he had a feeling it was the start of something big.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! The search for the Mask of Anubis is finally starting! And of course Tenn had to walk in right at THAT moment... At least we got some kissing going on, yeah? ;)  
> Also, for those of you who are curious as to what this ghost lady looks like, here is a picture: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/the-house-of-anubis/images/f/fa/Senkhara_02.png/revision/latest?cb=20120310052016  
> Anyway, I'll be back with the next chapter on Saturday as usual, so stay tuned! Thank you for reading this update, I hope you liked it! And thank you to everyone who leaves kudos, comments or who supports me in any other way! I love you all! <3<3<3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sousuke makes an announcement about an offer that the school has received, and Emi tries to help Iori with his and Riku’s relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I’m back with a new chapter, and I hope you will enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can find me on Twitter: @EFagerhag

It was always strange to be in your school when there were no classes, and this was not an exception. Even though every student was there, and in uniform as well, there were only the headmaster and one teacher to keep track of everyone. They asked the students to divide into three groups, one for each year, in order to make it easier for them.

And so, Iori, Riku, Tamaki and Tenn were gathered together with the rest of the first years in their school, waiting for their turn talk to the headmaster. They were up last, so they had to wait for quite a while before Yaotome Sousuke finally entered the room. Once he had arrived, he walked up to the front, straightened his back, and cleared his throat, effectively shutting everyone else up. 

“Greetings students. I apologized for having called you here on a weekend, but something rather big has occurred. The other day, the schoolboard received an email from a man named Gustav Ziestack. Gustav is a professor of history and is originally from Germany. He is also the manager for an exhibit that is currently traveling the world called the ‘Treasures of Egypt’ exhibit.” Sousuke started explaining. 

Iori and Riku eyed each other. Just how many connections to Egypt did this school need? Sousuke continued. “In just a short while, the exhibit will arrive here in japan, but before it travels on to Tokyo, it wants to make a stop and set up at a school. They’re trying to get youths more interested in history, so that’s why. They sent out offers to ten schools in Japan with some sort of historic value, and I am glad to announce that Yaotome Academy has been nominated to host the exhibit!” 

If you looked around the room, you would see approximately half of the students looking on in shock and awe, and the other half rolling their eyes. While some were clearly interested, it seemed as if some only found it to be a waste of time. 

“In less than a week, Gustav Ziestack will visit our school, and by then, we need to prepare our bid. Our school, as you already know, have connections to ancient Egypt, so we really want to win this bid. I want volunteers to help prepare the bid along with me and my colleague, Tsukumo Ryou. Three from each grade should suffice. Is anyone interested?” The headmaster asked. 

Riku turned to Iori and whispered in his ear. “Tsukumo is working on the bid, do you really think that is a coincidence? We know that he is still looking for a way to start making the elixir again, what if there is something in that exhibit that he wants?” He asked. 

Iori frowned. “I thought about that too... Maybe we should volunteer, that way we can keep an eye on things.” He suggested and Riku nodded eagerly. The two then raised their hands and Sousuke noticed them. 

“Ah, Izumi Iori and Nanase Riku! That’s two, but I’d like one more!” The headmaster exclaimed as Iori and Riku smiled at each other. 

Tenn, who was once again glaring at Iori, decided then and there that his brother would be able to spend a lot of time with Iori if the two were working on the bid together. If he were there as well, maybe he could watch over Riku. And so, Tenn also raised his hand, thus taking the third spot. 

“And there we have the third spot! Nanase Tenn, welcome to the team!” The headmaster exclaimed. “Since Gustav is set to arrive here in just a few days, you three will have some work to do over the weekend. After lunch, we who are working on the bid will meet in the Watanabe Library, where the exhibit would be held if we won it. That was all I had to say, you are dismissed!” 

Riku turned around, this time to face Tenn with an excited smile. “Tenn-nii, are you also interested in ancient Egypt? Or do you only want to help the school?” He asked. Tenn smiled back. “A little bit of both I guess. But mostly I thought it could be fun to work on something together. Don’t you agree?” He asked. 

Riku beamed at that, a smile so bright it would put the sun to shame covered his face. “I do! It will be so much fun!” He agreed. Tenn nodded. “And perhaps, this way I could get to know your boyfriend better.” He also suggested. 

Riku was more than happy to comply with that, thinking that his brother was finally prepared to give Iori a chance. However, Iori was more wary, Tenn’s mouth may be formed into a smile, but his eyes certainly were not smiling. Iori gulped. This might be a problem. 

The Watanabe Library looked just the same to Iori as how it did when he had sneaked inside with Riku a few days ago. The headmaster really wasn’t lying when he said there were a lot of preparations to do before the bid, considering it was less than a week away. They would need to clean and organize the library itself, decorate it, come up with a presentation and showcase just why Yaotome Academy should be the one who won the exhibition. 

Right now, the only thing that had been done was that all the sheets had been removed. Tsukumo had walked around and pulled them all down while waiting for the meeting to start, which would happen any minute now. 

Iori looked around the room nervously. After having finished lunch, Riku had left abruptly without any explanation, so Iori had headed over to the library alone. Every once in a while, Iori would catch Tenn looking at him, and it was not particularly friendly. The looks were calculated at best, and sometimes plain hostile. 

Other than Tenn, there were only two students that Iori recognized. The third years Yuki and Momo. Iori knew them mostly because they had worked together on the school play last term, but he also knew that his brother and Yamato were friends with them. 

Soon enough, it seemed like Tsukumo had waited enough as he cleared his throat and gave the headmaster an impatient look. “What are we waiting for? Were we not supposed to start five minutes ago?” Tsukumo asked, sounding irritated. 

Sousuke frowned. “Technically, it was only supposed to start four minutes ago. And we are waiting for a student, one of them has not arrived yet.” He answered simply, making Tsukumo stomp around in impatience. 

That was when the door to the library flew open and a panting Riku came in, looking flustered. “I’m... really sorry... I’m late...” He managed to get out between breaths. Iori quickly made his way over to him and started rubbing his back comfortingly. 

Tsukumo clicked his tongue but did not comment on it any further. “Right then, everybody gather round!” Sousuke the yelled and everyone started moving towards him. 

On the way there, Iori gave Riku a questioning look, silently asking why he was late. Riku leaned in and whispered so that only Iori could hear. “I had to take the cup back to the house, it would have been too risky to bring it here. It’s back in the attic again, I think it’s safest there for now.” He explained. 

Iori nodded and didn’t ask any further questions. When they joined the others, Tenn was there immediately, asking Riku if he was okay or if he needed anything. Riku assured his brother that he would be fine. 

First things first, Tsukumo and Sousuke went over the bid one more time but in more detail. Things like what they were looking for, who would come to oversee it, what it would mean if they won and so on. They then started asking everyone to come up with different reasons as to why Yaotome Academy should win the exhibition. Tsukumo even made a list. 

1\. The school’s connection to ancient Egypt; the Watanabes and their multiple donations to the school. 

2\. The beautiful historical school building that was built over 200 years ago. 

3\. The school’s high level and prestige; a lot of successful students. 

4\. An enthusiasm about history; at least half of the student body considered history to be one of their favorite subjects. 

5\. The Watanabe Library: donated by archaeologists and it is a separate building; the exhibition would be more easily accessed by people who were not from the school. 

6\. An enthusiastic staff that is eager to help with the exhibition, e.g. Tsukumo Ryou. 

And the list went on from there... 

After that, the third years suggested that they could make a film to present the school to Gustav Ziestack. It would be easy to set up a projector in the Library and then there was less to rehearse for the actual day of the bid. Sousuke liked that idea strongly and let the third years oversee the filmmaking, though everyone would have to pitch in and help when necessary. 

They also needed to decide on someone who would hold the welcoming speech, greeting Gustav and his associates as well as introducing the film. In the end, Tenn was chosen for that work. The others would mostly be working in the library, cleaning, decorating, and setting things up for the big day. 

Since they only had so much time to prepare, they decided to get started right away. Tenn sat down to start writing up some notes for his speech while also sneaking glances over at Iori and Riku, who had moved up to the second floor to avoid the worst of the dust. 

After a while, when he had made sure that everyone was occupied by their own business, Iori pulled Riku into a corner and pulled out something to show him. Riku raised an eyebrow in question as he stared down at the black and floppy book in Iori’s hand. “What is that?” He asked. 

Iori opened it. “It’s a catalogue over all the exhibits that will be included in ’Treasures of Egypt’. I borrowed it from the headmaster before you got here but didn’t get a chance to look through it. I thought we might be able to find whatever it is that Tsukumo wants, or why he wants this exhibition so much.” He explained. 

Riku beamed a smile up at Iori and nodded enthusiastically. “That’s great! What are we waiting for? Let’s look!” He said enthusiastically. Iori smiled fondly as he nodded and started flipping through the book. 

Halfway through the catalogue, Riku sighed. “This is difficult. It could be anything! There’s too little information in this to really learn much about what each exhibit is.” He said. Iori nodded in agreement, but kept going anyway, determined to find something. 

However, when he turned the page, both he and Riku tensed up at the sight before them Iori looked up at Riku. “Is that...?” He started. Riku grabbed the book and looked closer. “It’s the Mask of Anubis...” He said in awe. 

And sure enough, on the page there was a mask that looked like a jackal, which makes sense since the God Anubis was usually depicted with a jackal’s head. 

“Here.” Riku said and pointed at the bottom of the page where the information was. “The Mask of Anubis is a mythical mask worn by the high priest of Anubis, the God of Death. Legend has it that when the mask is worn at the funeral of pharaohs, the mask will weep tears of gold.” The redhead read out loud. 

“Again with the tears of gold...” Iori said. Riku nodded. “Do you think that is what that spirit lady is after? I mean, granted that she is real.” He said. Iori shrugged. “I honestly have no idea. We don’t even know what exactly the tears of gold are, or what they do. I think it’s too early to draw any conclusions.” He said. 

Riku frowned then. “Is this the mask that we are meant to find? If so, we really need to win this bid, don’t we?” He asked, concern evident on his face. However, Iori shook his head at that. “Well, I don’t think that spirit lady meant this mask in particular. It’s just a replica after all. I bet that she would want the real one.” He explained. 

“So, it’s not the real mask?” Riku asked and Iori nodded. “That’s right. And look here.” He said, pointing right under the picture of the mask where there was some small text. “Bronze replica of the Mask of Anubis created by Watanabe Akiko.” Riku read what was written where Iori pointed, then immediately looked up in awe at Iori. “Sara’s mother made the replica that’s on display in the exhibition?” He asked. 

Iori nodded. “That creates a connection between the Mask of Anubis and the Watanabes, thus also Anubis House.” He said. “So,” Riku started. “You think it’s possible that the mask could actually be hidden in the house?” He asked. Iori nodded again, this time in confirmation. 

That evening, Riku, Iori and Tenn returned rather late to Anubis House after having worked in the library for hours. They quickly ate their dinner, which the others had already finished by then, and then went to do their own thing. 

Iori was sat on one of the sofas in the living room, working on some homework. Then, out of nowhere, Nanase Emi joined him with an expectant look on her face. She clearly wanted something, so Iori shifted in his seat and turned to face her. 

Emi took a deep breath and then took ahold of Iori’s hand, making him furrow his brows in confusion. “Iori-kun, I’ve been thinking about that romantic gesture we talked about today at breakfast.” She said. 

Already, alarm bells were going off in Iori’s mind. It was not that he minded being romantic with Riku, in fact, he enjoyed it, but Emi was talking about doing something much bigger than Iori felt ready for. However, he did not want to appear rude to her, so he decided to go along with her for now. Maybe he could come up with some excuse later. Or just tell her he was not ready yet. Having decided what to do for now, Iori forced a smile onto his face. “Oh yeah? What were you thinking?” He asked. 

Emi looked pleased that he seemed interested. “I was thinking you could write him a song! I will help you of course. You see, my late husband wrote me a song for our anniversary once and it was the most romantic thing he has ever done for me!” She said, her smile full of nostalgia. 

Iori, however, felt his heart sink at that. She wanted him to write an entire song? He did not think he could do that. “Uhm, I feel like a song might be a bit... much? We haven’t been dating for very long, and I feel like I’d set the bar really high if I suddenly started serenading him right off the bat.” He said, trying to convince Emi to drop the idea. 

Emi nodded understandingly, much to Iori’s relief. “I see, that does make sense. Save the song idea for an anniversary! That’s how you do it!” She exclaimed. Iori sighed internally. _‘She still wants me to write him a song?’_ He thought. 

Emi kept going. “But then, how about we do something smaller now, yeah? How about you write him a short poem?” She suggested. 

Iori smiled awkwardly. “A poem?” He asked. Sure, a poem was much smaller than an entire song, he had also done it before, though only for school. It seemed like something he might be able to do. Actually giving it to Riku was something entirely different though. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. 

Emi nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! In fact, why don’t you write it now?” She suggested encouragingly. 

Iori blinked up at her in surprise, but he supposed that the best idea might just be to go along with her for now. And so, he nodded and got out a notebook and a pen. He could feel Emi’s eyes on him the entire time he wrote, which was a bit uncomfortable if he were being honest. Still, about half an hour later, he had a finished poem. 

“I did it. I finished the poem.” Iori said, which delighted Emi. “That’s great! Now, why don’t you practice reading it on me?” She then suggested. “Practice?” Iori asked in confusion. Emi nodded. “Yes! Of course you will have to read it to Riku in person, otherwise it wouldn’t be as romantic! Now, pretend that I am Riku and read what you have written as if you were reading it to him.” She instructed. 

Iori gulped and looked a bit unsure. It seems Emi picked up on his reluctance and sighed before grabbing a stuffed baby crocodile. (One of Tsukumo’s works, he had a few of his projects, apart from Corbierre, displayed throughout the house.) “Perhaps you could pretend that this crocodile is Riku instead?” Emi suggested. 

Iori let out a sigh of relief and begrudgingly nodded. “Yeah, that’s... a bit better.” He said. Then he cleared his throat and got ready to read. “The quest-” He started in a low voice. However, Emi must have been displeased by it, because she hit him on the leg and gave him a stern look. 

“Speak up! You will have to be assertive, or you are not going to come off as sincere. Now, try again.” She said. Iori nodded and took a look around the room. Luckily, he and Emi were the only ones in there right now. 

Iori cleared his throat before trying to read the poem a second time. “The quest, long and hard; I discovered a treasure; the treasure was you.” He read, louder and more certain than he really felt. He could also tell that he was blushing from the heat in his cheeks. 

Emi looked at Iori as if she was expecting more. When she realized that was all that he had, she leaned back in her seat. “Was that it?” She asked. Iori nodded. “Yes. It’s a haiku.” He explained, hoping that with this, she would finally let him go and finish his homework. 

Emi sighed. “I guess that will have to do. It’s your first poem, so I suppose it’s fine that it is a bit shorter.” She said and Iori cheered internally. “Now, go read it to Riku.” Emi then said, and all color drained from Iori’s face. “Like, right now? You want me to go and read this to him right now?” He asked. 

Emi nodded, and then the door to the living room opened and the very person they had been talking about entered. “Ah, Iori! I needed to talk to you!” He exclaimed happily. 

Emi turned to Iori and winked. “You got this!” She mouthed and Iori watched in horror as the old woman left the room, giving him not one, but two thumbs up as she left. 

“So, I was thinking-” Riku started, but Iori held out a hand to interrupt him. He was sure that if he didn’t read this poem now, he would surely never hear the end of it from Emi. He should just get it over with. Like Emi said, he should be more assertive. Besides, knowing Riku, he would probably (hopefully at least) find it sweet. 

“Before you say anything else, I want to read something to you.” Iori said. Riku frowned. “Okay, but it was kind of important. It’s about the ma-” Riku started, but Iori interrupted him again. He probably wouldn’t have if he could think clearly, but he was so nervous that he barely heard a word of what Riku was saying. 

“No, let me go first, please. Just sit there and listen.” Iori said, but this only seemed to make Riku upset. “Can’t it wait? Iori this is about my-” Riku tried again, but like previously stated, Iori was not really thinking straight. “Just sit, please! Let’s just get this over with!” He exclaimed, feeling really nervous about the situation. 

After Iori interrupted him for the third time, Riku was actually feeling quite annoyed with his boyfriend. So, he decided to just leave. “Fine, if you’re not going to listen, then don’t! But don’t expect me to listen to you!” He yelled before standing up and leaving a still flustered Iori behind. 

That was the exact moment that Iori realized his mistake. He cursed under his breath, closed his notebook and stood up to follow Riku. “Riku! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that!” He called out, but Riku didn’t listen. He just slammed the door on his way out before heading up the stairs. 

When Iori got out into the hallway, Tenn stood there, smirking at him. Iori tried to ignore him and started walking towards the stairs. However, he was soon intercepted by Tenn. “Oh no, you don’t! Haven’t you caused enough damage for tonight?” Tenn asked before he himself followed Riku up the stairs, most likely to check and make sure that his brother was okay. 

Iori cursed himself again, but he really didn’t want to go and talk to Riku while Tenn was still there. In the end, Iori left to go back to his own room to try and finish his homework. Hopefully, he could find an opportunity to apologize to Riku soon. 

For the second night in a row, Riku had an uneasy sleep. Although, this night he was more worried about his sort-of-fight with Iori. It wasn’t even really a fight, Riku had gotten mad at Iori for interrupting him when he had something important to say. Though it clearly hadn’t been that important, as Riku had already forgotten about what he was going to tell him. 

Riku lay in his bed, only half asleep. He would be staring up at the ceiling while listening to his Gran’s snores one second, and the next he would close his eyes and nod off, only to once again be woken by a particularly loud snore. He was already getting tired of this restless sleep. 

He soon closed his eyes again, but when he was woken up the next time, it was not from his Gran’s snore, it was from a light knock on the door. Yawning and rubbing his eyes, Riku stood up and walked over to open the door. It was Iori, he must have come to apologize. 

Riku smiled up at him awkwardly then silently made his way out of the room and closed the door carefully. Then he turned back to Iori. For a minute, the two boys only stood there and looked at one another. Not liking the awkward silence, Riku decided to break it. “So, did you want something?” He asked, seeing as Iori was the one who had come knocking on his door. 

Iori averted his eyes from Riku’s for a second, only to turn back to him a second later. Riku couldn’t quite place the expression on his face. It looked a bit irritated, but also a bit hurt. “Why are you hiding from me?” Iori then asked. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “What?” He asked. “I’m not hiding. Listen, I was just a bit upset becau- ” Riku started but was interrupted by Iori grabbing ahold of his wrist. It startled Riku because it wasn’t a gentle hold, it was strong and actually kind of hurt. 

“You can’t ignore me forever, Riku!” Iori exclaimed, this time sounding sort of angry, which confused Riku. Wasn’t it Iori who should be apologizing? And besides, it wasn’t like Riku had ignored him, if he had come looking for him earlier, Riku would have liked to talk it out. 

“Why are you so upset?” Riku asked. “You were the one who-” He then started but had to stop mid-sentence to wince in pain as Iori tightened his grip on Riku’s wrist. Riku looked down, grabbed on to Iori’s hand and tried to pry it off. 

“I said, you can’t ignore me forever!” Iori yelled, though his voice sounded weird, not how it usually did. But at least he released Riku’s wrist, which was a relief. However, when Riku looked up again, it was no longer Iori standing there, it was the spirit lady from the previous night. 

Riku gasps in shock and fear and tried to take a step back, but the spirit noticed and once again grabbed ahold of Riku’s arm. Though this time she took ahold of his right bicep instead of his wrist. She then leaned in closer, her face now mere centimeters away from Riku’s own. 

Riku winced, he could feel his arm burn where she had grabbed on and tried to pull free, but to no avail. “The Mask of Anubis is close, I can feel it!” The spirit exclaimed and Riku gulped, he suddenly remembered her saying he would have to forfeit his life if he failed. Could she actually kill him if he disobeyed her? The pain in his arm certainly felt real... 

However, even if he wanted to help her find this mask, Riku had no idea where to start looking. “But where do I start? I don’t know what you want me to do!” He asked desperately. The lady frowned. “Ask the one who knows.” She said, as if that was all the explanation that was needed. Then she let go of Riku’s arm and vanished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The spirit appears again! And also, ioriku’s first (almost) fight... I’ll be back on Wednesday with the next chapter so look forward to that! I hope you enjoyed this one. ^^ Thank you for leaving kudos and comments, they mean a lot to me! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku's last encounter with the spirit leaves something lasting and he goes to Iori for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! We'll get to say hello to a character who hasn't been in this story for a long time. He appeared at one point in the first story and I'm happy to say hello have a slightly more important role in this story. ^^ With that said, I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Riku startled awake, similarly to how he woke up yesterday morning. The room was empty today, so there was no one there to ask whether he was okay or not. It is a Sunday, so there is no school thus no one bothered to set any alarm. When Riku checked the clock, he saw that it was 9:30 in the morning. Even though there wasn’t any school, he, Tenn and Iori still had to go to the Library to work on the bid that afternoon.

Thinking about Iori brought back unpleasant memories, not because of their sort-of-fight, but because of the visit he received from the spirit. Riku groaned and flopped back down on his mattress. “Is she real or not? I can’t really tell since she’s only in my dreams…” He said to himself. But then again, he did bring down the cup yesterday, so maybe it had not been a dream after all? 

Riku then felt his stomach rumble and decided he needed to get some breakfast. He pushed himself into a sitting position but winced in pain as he did so. All of a sudden there was a pain that shot throughout his right arm. There was an area around his bicep that burned, and it caused the rest of the arm to feel sore and stiff. 

Feeling worried, Riku rolled up his sleeve, then gasped at what he saw underneath. He remembered how the spirit had grabbed ahold of him, which made him expect to maybe see a handprint or bruises, but what was actually there was very different. It was some sort of tattoo. 

The small, black mark resembled the face of a jackal, but it was wearing the kind of crown that you often saw worn by pharaohs. He felt like the area around the tattoo should be red and irritated, with how much it hurt, but it was nothing like that. The pitch-black color of the tattoo stood out in sharp contrast against Riku’s pale skin. It would be pretty difficult to hide. Luckily, it was still winter and cold outside, so no one would think twice about him wearing long sleeves all the time. 

_‘The cup being in my room yesterday and now this nightmare where that spirit grabbed me? I’m really starting to think that maybe she does not just exist in my dreams…’_ Riku thought to himself. 

Taking a few deep breaths to try and calm down, Riku decided he needed to show someone, to tell someone. Because if this spirit was telling the truth, then his life could actually be in danger. There wasn’t really any question about who to ask, their conflict was practically forgotten as Riku decided he needed to find Iori quick. 

And so, Riku stood up and got dressed, making sure to wear long sleeves, before heading downstairs. He was very lucky, as the moment Riku was near the bottom of the stairs, the door to Iori and Tamaki’s bedroom opened, and the raven-haired boy exited. On top of that, there was no one else in the entrance hall. 

“Iori!” Riku called out and jogged over to Iori, who stiffened up and looked at Riku with an awfully guilty expression. “Riku… Look, I’m really, really sorry about last night! Your Gran was pushing me to do something and I suddenly got really nervous and just wanted to get it out of the way, so I came off a bit forceful. But I honestly-” Iori started. 

“Iori!” Riku exclaimed, successfully shutting Iori up. “It’s fine, seriously. Besides, I overreacted a bit myself, I didn’t even have anything that important to tell you. And I know my Gran, she is one of the kindest and most accepting people you will meet, but she can also be really pushy, so I get it. I forgive you.” Riku said, feeling like he should appease the situation from last night before stirring up a new problem. 

Iori’s eyes widened in what Riku assumed was relief. “Are you sure? Because I honestly feel bad about it…” He said. Riku smiled and nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. But more importantly…” Riku said, making Iori look at him in curiosity. 

Riku looked around the room, making sure that they were still alone before he started explaining. “I saw the spirit again last night.” He said. Iori’s expression turned into one that was a mixture of shock and concern. “What happened?” He asked. 

“I heard a knock on my door, and when I opened it, you were there.” Riku started, which confused Iori, as he obviously had not gone to Riku’s room last night. Riku continued before Iori got a chance to ask about it. “Only, it wasn’t you. It was the spirit pretending to be you.” He explained. 

Iori nodded, understanding the situation better now. “She told me to stop hiding from her, that I could not ignore her forever. Then she basically asked me to find the mask again. Also, I asked her where to start and she just said, ‘ask the one who knows’. Which is very vague, but I guess it’s more to go on than we had before…” Riku said, trying to sound at least a little hopeful. 

Iori nodded. “Was that all that happened?” He asked. Riku averted his gaze and rubbed his still sore arm. “There was one more thing.” Riku said, and Iori could hear the fear in his voice. Riku gulped and started rolling up his right sleeve. “She grabbed my arm, and at the time it was really burning.” He started explaining. “And then when I woke up, I had this.” 

Riku had finished rolling up his sleeve in Iori looked in shock at the black tattoo that now adorned the redhead's arm. He carefully reached out to touch it, but Riku winced in pain and pulled back. “Sorry, it’s still a bit sore.” He answered. 

Iori shook his head. “Don’t apologize. But what is it? Did the spirit… stamp you? Or what?” He asked. Riku shrugged. “I don’t know what it means, but one thing is for sure. I don’t think the spirit is just in my head anymore. Last night it was the cup, this night my arm, what’s going to be next?” He asked. 

Iori could tell Riku was starting to hyperventilate, so he grabbed ahold of his shoulders, being careful not to touch his mark. He then looked Riku straight in the eyes with determination. “Listen to me, it’s going to be okay.” He said. 

However, Riku, who was now close to tears, was not so sure. “Is it though? Iori, I’m really scared. I think my life might really be in danger.” He said. 

Iori shook his head. “Even if that’s true, I won’t let her touch you. I’ll be here all along, you won’t be doing any of this alone. Do you trust me?” He asked. Riku smiled, but it wasn’t as convincing when his eyes were glassy from the unshed tears. “Of course, I trust you with my life.” He said. 

Iori smiled back and nodded, then pulled the redhead in for a hug, which Riku readily returned. Before pulling away, Iori placed a light kiss on Riku’s forehead, which made the other boy laugh. 

“To start things off, I think there are three things we need to figure out.” Iori said. “Number one, we need to learn as much as we can about the Mask of Anubis. Number two, we need to figure out what that mark the spirit gave you means. And number three, we need to find out who ‘the one who knows’ is.” He explained. 

Riku sniffled, dried his eyes, and nodded. “That’s as good a start as any I suppose.” He said. Iori agreed. “Also,” He then said, making Riku raise an eyebrow in question. “I think I might know where we can figure out number one and two, if you’re willing to try it.” He said. 

Riku frowned in confusion. “Where?” He asked. “Do you remember Akihiko? That antique dealer who lives nearby and is a close friend to my family? We went to him when we needed help about the phonographic cylinders.” Iori said. 

Riku nodded. “You want to go to him for help?” He asked, and Iori nodded. “He knows a lot about Ancient Egypt. Well, he knows a lot about everything that is ancient, but Egypt specifically has always been an interest of his. We could ask him about it, if you’re okay with that?” Iori suggested. 

Riku considered their options for a while, but in the end, he didn’t think they had much of a choice. “Okay, let’s ask him.” He said. Iori brightened up at that. “But can we leave now? I want to get started as soon as possible, I don’t think our spirit friend is very patient.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Sure, if we catch the next bus, we should be able to be back at the school in time for working on the bid.” He said. And so, it was decided. 

The trip into town was quick, luckily, they just made it in time for the next bus. While they were walking, Iori kept sneaking worried glances over at Riku. “Are you okay? Does the mark hurt?” He asked when he could not take the silence anymore. 

Iori snapped his head around to face Iori when he heard him address him. Riku had been in his own little world ever since they first got on the bus, thinking about everything that was happening. But now he smiled up at Iori and shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. It did hurt this morning though. The mark was burning, and my entire arm felt sore, like I’d pulled a muscle or something.” He explained. 

Iori nodded and smiled back sympathetically. “And you’re sure it’s not hurting you anymore?” He then asked persistently. Riku chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure. I feel fine, just a bit shaken up, I guess… It’s not everyday you get threatened by a ghost!” He exclaimed. Riku had intended for it to come out more lighthearted than it had, now it just felt like it made the situation dawn on them even more than before. 

Iori sighed. “Do you really think she could kill you? If we didn’t find this mask, I mean.” He wondered aloud. Riku simply shrugged. “I don’t know. I have no idea what she can do, but the pain when she grabbed me was real. And now I’ve even got this mark to prove it.” He said, gesturing to his right arm. 

“Yeah, that really bothers me… This may be stupid of me, but I kind of wish I could see her too. If only to be able to better understand what she’s doing to you.” Iori said. Riku smiled up at him sadly and shook his head. “I hope you never have to see her. She was really scary, Iori.” He said. 

Iori nodded and sighed again, then he reached out and held out his hand, asking for permission to hold Riku’s hand. Riku could tell that Iori was being a bit careful and giving him space after their disagreement last night, but it really wasn’t necessary. So, Riku smiled as brightly as he could manage and interlaced his own fingers with Iori’s. 

It was then that Riku saw the antique shop in the distance, realizing they were almost there. He looked over at Iori again. “Are you sure we can trust him with this? I don’t think we should involve more people than we have to, not if there’s a murderous spirit pulling the strings.” He said. 

Iori nodded and squeezed Riku’s hand in reassurance. “Yeah, I do believe we can trust him. If anything, he’s more of an outsider than the other’s in our surroundings. I doubt the spirit could come after him.” He said, and Riku agreed. 

They entered the store ad were immediately greeted by Akihiko, with his usual thin and messy dark hair, round glassed that were slightly askew and a cheery smile. “Oh my! Iori! And Riku! What a pleasant surprise.” He said happily as he walked over to them, still holding some sort of pot that he had been dusting when they got there. 

“Hello, Akihiko-san. How are you?” Iori asked while Riku simply nodded in a greeting. “Oh, good, really good. I got an offer for a new job today! Haven’t decided if I should take it yet, but if I do, I’m going to have to close the shop temporarily. I mean, the job itself is only going to last a month or two, and then I’d be right back here again.” Akihiko answered. 

“Oh really?” Iori asked. “Do you want to take the new job?” Riku then added. “Well, yes, I think I would like it. I’m mostly just thinking of whether I want it enough to close down the shop in the meantime or not. But I’m leaning towards taking it.” Akihiko answered them. 

“Well, good luck with that. We’ll be rooting for you.” Iori declared with an easy smile. It was the kind of smile that Riku only saw Iori wear around family, or people he felt really comfortable around. He himself had been on the receiving end of that smile a few times, and every time it made his heart swell. It was his favorite of Iori’s smiles. 

“Why, thank you.” Akihiko said. “Now then, what brings you here? I’m guessing you didn’t just come to town to check up on me, did you?” He asked and Iori chuckled nervously. “Yeah, we sort of had a question or two. Would you mind?” He asked. 

Akihiko smiled and shook his head. “Not at all! You know I would do pretty much anything for you and your brother. Go ahead and ask.” He said as he led Iori and Riku to the back of the store where they would have more privacy. 

“Well, first of all, we wondered what you know about the Mask of Anubis?” Iori said. 

Akihiko seemed to ponder for a bit before answering. “Ah, the Mask of Anubis eh? A fascinating relic from ancient Egypt. It’s a mythical mask entirely made out of gold. It was traditionally worn at the funerals of pharaohs and other important people. Only those who served the God Anubis, the God of Death, were allowed to wear it. According to legend, the Mask of Anubis could also create something called ‘the tears of gold’, though there is no source explaining what that is exactly.” 

“Is that all?” Iori asked. Akihiko shrugged. “The Mask of Anubis is a mystery. It’s a myth, nobody knows if it actually exists. It has never been found as far as I know. But I do believe that it did exist, there are enough sources from the ancient Egyptians that tell tales of the mask and its wonders that I think it’s safe to assume that it was real at some point.” He said. 

“So, it was exclusive then? Or were there a lot of them made?” Iori asked. Akihiko shook his head. “Oh no, it was a very exclusive piece. All the sources say the same, that the Mask of Anubis’ power was so great that only one was ever made. They could never recreate it’s power.” He answered. 

“Are there any ideas of what might have happened to the mask?” Riku asked and Akihiko shook his head. “That is were our sources differ. They all say it was buried with a pharaoh, but the stories all mention a different one. There’s one that believes it was buried with Amenhotep III, one believes it was Tutankhamun, another one believes it was Ramses II, and so on.” 

Iori and Riku looked at one another. They both knew that the Watanabes had visited Tutankhamun’s tomb, that was where they got the Cup of Ankh from, after all. If the Mask of Anubis had been buried in there, it was possible the couple had brought it with them along with the cup. 

“Was that all you wanted to know?” Akihiko soon asked, pulling them both out of their thoughts. “Oh, yes, thank you! That was more than we could find anywhere else.” Riku said. “Although, we did have a question about something else…” Iori said, looking over at Riku, more specifically Riku’s arm, for permission. Riku nodded. 

Akihiko looked at them in curiosity as Riku slowly rolled up his sleeve to show the older man the tattoo. “Do you recognize this mark?” He asked. 

Akihiko stood up suddenly and walked over to Riku before carefully taking has arm into his hands ever so gently. His expression was more serious than even Iori had ever seen it before. “I’m guessing you did not get this at a tattoo parlor?” He asked. 

Riku nodded and Akihiko sighed. “Tell me.” He said. And that is what Iori and Riku did. They were as vague as they could be, but still mentioned how Riku had seen a spirit lady in his dreams that seemed like she may have belonged amongst the ancient Egyptians and how that mark appeared on Riku’s arm after she grabbed him. 

Akihiko sat back down before he started explaining. “I’ve never seen that mark in person before, only in pictures. Though I have had people tell me about getting that mark, or knowing someone who got that mark. Archaeologists and professors who wronged the ancient Egyptians or their artifacts in some way.” He said. 

Riku frowned. “But what is it?” He asked. “That,” Akihiko started. “Is the Mark of Anubis. Mythology suggests that the God Anubis gives the mark as a curse to those who wronged him. It’s a sign that he owns them, in a way, that he controls their fate.” He explained. 

Riku gulped. “Are you saying I’m cursed?” He asked nervously. “How do we get rid of it?” Iori then added, feeling just as distressed as Riku evidently did. “Well, according to mythology, sometimes the God Anubis would give the cursed men and women a task to perform, and if they succeeded, they may be forgiven.” Akihiko explained. 

Riku turned to Iori and whispered in his ear. “So, if I want to get free of this curse, we really have to find the Mask of Anubis?” He asked. Iori nodded. “Seems like it.” He said. 

“There’s just one thing I don’t understand.” Akihiko said, gaining Iori and Riku’s attention once more. “You said that a woman gave you that. A woman who may have resembled an Egyptian ruler?” He asked and Riku nodded, confirming what he had asked. 

“That’s what throws me off… Only the God Anubis should be able to distribute those marks, and she clearly was no God of Death…” He said. Then he looked up at the two teens in front of him, looking determined. “Okay, give me some time to research this and then I’ll come back to you if I find any answers, okay?” He suggested. 

Iori nodded and Riku smiled. “Thank you so much for doing this. We really needed the help.” He said. Akihiko shook his head. “Don’t even mention it.” He said. 

After that, Iori and Riku decided it was time to leave, they needed to grab something to eat and then go back to school and the Watanabe Library to work on the bid. Before they left the store, however, Akihiko called out to them one last time. “Just remember to be careful. I’ve heard of a lot of people who fell victim to the curse of Anubis. Don’t do anything rash.” He said. Iori and Riku nodded and the left the store. 

The rest of the day passed by in a blur and before they knew it, it was over. Other than working on the bid, Iori and Riku had tried to come up with who ‘the one who knows’ could refer to. Iori had suggested Tsukumo, since he knew about everything that had happened the previous term, he was also familiar with the fact that the Watanabes had hidden multiple artefacts throughout the house. However, Riku had a feeling that was not it. 

They soon had to give up, and Riku was relieved to finally have gotten a decent night of sleep, what with all the visits from a certain murderous spirit the last two nights. The next morning was Monday, which meant it was also time to get back to school. Gran had also received a phone call that a temporary accommodation had just become available for her and it was thus decided that she would be leaving the next day. 

Iori and Riku were now in school. They were walking through the hallways on the way to their first class. “The one who knows could be anyone! It would be so much easier if we knew what it is they know. Do they know what we did last term? Do they know where the Mask of Anubis is hidden? Do they know that the Watanabes might have taken it?” Riku speculated, already tired of the vague riddle that the spirit had given him. 

“Yeah,” Iori agreed. “You would think that if the mask is so important to this spirit that she would threaten to kill you if you didn’t get it, that she would be a bit more helpful if she knows something that could help us.” He said and Riku nodded. 

Riku sighed. “I just feel stuck. And we have barely even started! We have almost nothing to go on!” He complained. Iori reached out to squeeze his hand real quick. “Hey, we’ll figure something out. Maybe we just need to take a brake and then approach it from a different angle?” He suggested. 

Riku smiled and raised an eyebrow in question. “What do you suggest then?” He asked. Iori shrugged. “I don’t know… Maybe we could do something tonight? I mean, something not school, bid or mask related.” He said. Riku smiled apologetically at that. “That sounds nice, but I can’t. It’s Gran’s last night here, remember? We asked Tsumugi to whip up a fancy dinner and then Tenn-nii and I are going to hang out with Gran all night. We probably won’t have time to see her again until spring break, after all.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Right, I forgot about that. Are you sad to see her go?” He asked. Riku shook his head and smiled. “No. I mean, of course I’m going to miss her, but she already stayed longer than I expected her to! And she’s family, so we can just go see her whenever we want.” He said. 

“Yeah.” Iori agreed. “Maybe spending the night with your brother and your Gran can be the distraction you need. Try not to think about the mask or anything related to that tonight, then we’ll try again tomorrow, yeah?” He suggested. 

Riku was about to reply when they both felt a weight on their backs as well as someone wrapping their arms around both of their shoulders. “What are you going to try again tomorrow?” It was Tamaki, grinning as usual, who had thrown himself onto their backs, startling them. 

Growing flustered, Riku hurriedly made an excuse. “Oh, it’s about the bid.” He said, hoping that would be enough. “Oh yeah?” Tamaki asked happily. “You mentioned a mask, are you going to make one? Is it going to be some sort of decoration? Oh! Is it one of those that they put on the dead pharaohs? The one that looks sort of like a replica of their face in gold. Do you need any help? I can help!” He said. 

Riku looked over at Iori alarmed. Last night, they had decided to try and not involve anyone else unless they needed to. They thought it might be dangerous, what with the spirit and all. They had known that it would probably be the most difficult to hide it from Tamaki, he tended to be pretty nosy once he noticed that you were hiding something. 

Luckily, they were saved having to come up with another excuse as the bell went off, signaling that classes were starting. With that, Tamaki seemed to forget anything about their conversation as he let go of the two and hurried into the classroom. Both Iori and Riku let out a sigh of relief as they followed him inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! I hope you enjoyed it! I will be back on Saturday with the next chapter. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. And thank you even more to those who has left kudos and/or comments! They mean a lot to me! <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Gran's last night at the house, and later, the guys make a new discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter, I hope you guys will enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Tsumugi had stayed true to her word and cooked up a real feast that evening. Everyone was gathered around the dining table, telling stories and the like. It was a very pleasant evening. The twins both spent most of the evening talking to Emi, since she was leaving early the next morning.

At one point, Emi had poked Iori to get his attention. Iori had then leaned in closer, after which Emi slipped him a note with her phone number on it before she whispered to him. “Keep up the poetry, yeah? Try and go bigger each time. You can call me if you need any advice.” She said with a wink. 

Iori smiled awkwardly before he thanked her. He put the piece of paper in his pocket. Since he hadn’t even given Riku that first poem yet, he doubted he would be writing any more anytime soon. But still, he would rather not tell Emi that. 

One by one, the residents of Anubis House all left the table to go do their own thing. And soon, the only ones left were Riku, Tenn and Emi. Riku and Tenn were telling her about the bid that they had worked on the last few days when the old woman let out a sudden groan. 

“Gran, what’s wrong?” Riku asked in concern, which was mirrored on Tenn’s face. Emi however, simply shook her head and smiled at her two grandsons. “Oh, don’t you worry now. I’ve just had this headache all day. It comes and goes. It’s not the first time, I’ll feel better once I‘ve gotten some proper sleep.” She explained. 

“If you say so.” Tenn said, though he still looked a bit wary. “But you will tell us if you need anything, right?” Riku then asked, wanting to make sure she would really be okay. Emi smiled and reached out, stroking Riku’s cheek, then Tenn’s. “Oh, you two are too sweet. It’s been so fun to stay here with you these past few days.” She said. 

Riku and Tenn both smiled at her. “It’s been fun to have you here too, Gran. Sorry that we didn’t have more time to spend together.” Tenn said, but Emi immediately gave him this look that said that he was not allowed to worry about that. 

“That being said,” Emi started. “I should probably go to bed now. I have to get up pretty early tomorrow, and then I have a long day of travel and setting up the temporary apartment.” She said. Tenn and Riku nodded in agreement. 

“I’ll follow you up, Gran.” Riku said, smiling brightly. Emi nodded. “And I’ll come see you off tomorrow morning. Good night, Gran.” Tenn said, stepping forward to give his grandmother a hug, which she obviously returned. Then she and Riku started moving up the stairs towards his and Nagi’s bedroom where they all slept. 

Riku felt relaxed, he had managed to stop thinking about the mask and the spirit and the curse all night, which had been a nice change of pace. However, now that he was walking up the stairs, it all suddenly came back to him as he started hearing whispers. _“Watch the timepiece, Chosen One.”_ Riku immediately recognized it as the voice of the spirit. 

The next morning, everyone was up earlier than usual. Emi’s train would be leaving at 6:40, which was why now, at 6 o’clock, they were all dressed and stood in the entrance hall. Emi was putting on her coat while Nagi helped Riku and Tenn to carry her bags down. 

“Oh, thank you so much boys!” Emi exclaimed as they finished getting all her luggage down the stairs. Nagi bowed and winked. “No problem, My Lady.” He said in english, making him sound very much like a gentleman. It made Emi giggle. 

“Gran, are you feeling better today?” Riku asked in concern, remembering that she had been feeling a bit under the weather last night. She smiled. “Yes, I feel so much better today! A good nights’ rest really does wonders!” She said. “That’s good to hear.” Riku responded, smiling in relief. 

“Gran, your taxi is here.” Tenn called out from where he had been standing near the doorway. “I guess it’s time to leave then.” Emi said. She then proceeded to give all of the boys, as well as Tsumugi a hug. She even hugged Tsukumo! (He just stood there, more tense than any of the Anubis residents had ever seen him) 

Then Emi turned to Riku and Tenn and enveloped them into her embrace. “You two take care of each other now. And call, for God’s sake! I will miss you two.” She said. 

“We will miss you too, Gran!” Riku said. “Yeah, lots.” Tenn added. Then Emi pulled back, placed one last kiss on both of their cheeks before she backed away, grabbed her bag and waved. “Goodbye now! Thank you for these past few days, it has been a blast.” She said. 

“Goodbye!” Everyone called out. Emi then exited the house, turning back to wave one last time. Riku and Tenn stood in the doorway, watching her enter the taxi and driving off. It was only once her taxi could no longer be seen that the two turned around to head back inside. 

“Come on, let’s go get breakfast.” Tenn said, a gentle smile on his face. Riku responded with a smile of his own. “Yes, let’s do that!” 

Later that day, after they were all done with school and working on the bid, Iori and Riku had, together with Tamaki, gathered in Riku’s room to work together on a school project. Nagi was on chores duty that day and was currently helping Tsumugi with dinner, so the three of them were alone. 

It soon became evident that Tamaki wasn’t really interested in doing schoolwork tonight. He was very distracted and had not gotten much done. It wasn’t long until he completely dropped the project and started talking to Iori and Riku about other things. “So, you guys, how are you doing?” He asked. 

Iori frowned. “You see us every day, you know how we are doing.” He answered matter-of-factly. Tamaki rolled his eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that! I meant You! Capital ‘Y’! As in the two of you, you’re relationship.” He said, effectively making both Iori and Riku flustered. 

“It’s good.” Riku said with a shy smile, not really sure what else to tell Tamaki. “Have you gone on any dates yet? Not counting the one I sort of crashed…” He said, smiling sheepishly as he mentioned the crashed date. 

Riku and Iori both sighed and shook their heads. “Not really. With schoolwork, the bid and Gran visiting, there hasn’t really been enough time for that.” Riku explained. “We should though.” Iori said before he turned to Riku. “Soon. We should try and make time to do something soon. Maybe once the bid is done?” He asked. 

Riku smiled. At first, he was a bit unsure, what with there being a lot they didn’t know, a lot they needed to do surrounding the Mask of Anubis. In the end though, he decided that he should be able to make at least a little bit of time. One date (at the very least) would surely be fine, right? 

“Yeah, we should. We’ll make some time to go on a proper date.” He said. “I mean, why should a cursy spirit stop me from dating?” He joked without really thinking about it, only seconds later realizing that Tamaki was there too. Both Riku and Iori’s eyes widened as they turned to their blue-haired friend, who frowned in confusion. 

Soon, Tamaki’s eyes widened as he realized what Riku had just said. “Wait a minute! A cursy spirit?! What cursy spirit?!” He asked in shock as he looked at Riku, then Iori, and then back to Riku. 

Iori looked over at Riku. “Do we tell him?” He whispered. Riku furrowed his brows but nodded. “I think we have to now.” He said. 

Tamaki was now getting impatience. “Hello? I am still here you know. What is going on?” He asked. Iori and Riku turned to him. “It’s a long story, but basically I was cursed by a ghost lady who now wants us to find another artifact. The Mask of Anubis.” Riku said while also rolling his sleeve up, showing Tamaki his mark. 

Tamaki’s eyes widened in shock. “Holy shit… Are you serious? Like, an actual ghost gave you a tattoo?” He asked. Riku nodded. “It’s called the Mark of Anubis, in it basically means that she has cursed me. I have to do what she says, and she told me to find this Mask of Anubis.” He explained. 

“What happens if you refuse?” Tamaki asked, sounding wary. Riku took a deep breath before answering. “She said that if I refused or failed, I had to forfeit my life.” He said. 

Tamaki furrowed his brows in response. “What does that mean?” He asked. “It means,” Iori started. “That if we don’t find this mask before anyone else, Riku loses his life.” He said seriously. 

Tamaki’s face paled and he gulped. “Like, she will kill you?” He asked and Riku nodded sadly. “It seems like it.” He said. 

Tamaki stood up then and walked over to Riku, grabbing both of his hands in his own and meeting his gaze. “Let me help you.” He said determinedly. 

Riku looked up at Tamaki, blinking his doe-like eyes. Then, once he processed everything, he shook his head. “I don’t know if that is such a good idea… I really think this spirit is dangerous and it’s bad enough that I already got Iori involved! What if she came after you next! I don’t want that…” He said. 

Tamaki frowned. “I don’t care about that! You shouldn’t have to find this mask thing by yourself! You’re one of my best friends, and did it ever occur to you that I wouldn’t want to lose you as well? Also, if she does come for me, I’ll just fight her off!” He exclaimed. 

Iori sighed at that. “She’s a ghost, you probably wouldn’t even be able to touch her.” He pointed out. “That being said, I think we should let Yotsuba-san help. We could use the help and we know that we can trust him. Besides, we already told him, so he’s already involved.” He said. 

Tamaki brightened up and nodded enthusiastically. “I agree with Iorin.” He said. Riku sighed. “I suppose… But we don’t bring anyone else into this unless we have to! I know we could get all of Sibuna together, but I don’t want to put anyone else in danger.” He declared. Iori and Tamaki nodded in agreement. 

Riku was about to say something more, but he was interrupted by the tell-tale scent of smoke. “Do you guys also smell smoke?” He asked in concern. Tamaki and Iori started sniffing the air, and sure enough, something was smoking. 

That was when Iori caught sight of something that practically made his jaw drop to the floor. “Riku, Yotsuba-san, look!” He said and pointed at one corner of the room. Riku and Tamaki turned around, and once they saw what Iori was pointing to, their expressions turned into ones of shock, mirroring Iori’s own. 

On a table in the corner of the room stood the dollhouse that came from the attic. Only this time all of the lights were on and smoke was coming from the chimneys. “What is going on?!” Tamaki asked. “Maybe there’s a switch or something?” Riku suggested as he covered his mouth and walked up to the toy. 

Riku looked around the front but could not find anything. It was only when he turned the house around and looked at the back that something caught his attention. “It was Sara’s…” He whispered before turning back to Iori and Tamaki. “The dollhouse! It belonged to Sara! Her name is written at the bottom here on the back!” He exclaimed. 

Iori’s eyes widened as he realized something. “The dolls! Sara gave you dolls that looked like they belonged in a dollhouse after she passed away, right?” He asked. 

Riku immediately understood what Iori meant. He nodded and then started digging through his things, quickly finding the box, taking out the dolls and then running back to the dollhouse. He opened it and placed them all inside, after which the lights turned off and the dollhouse stopped letting out smoke. They all relaxed. 

For a minute, they just stood there, staring at the contraption before them. Their expressions were all mixtures of awe, confusion and wonder. It was only once Riku started coughing that they realized that the room was still filled with smoke. Tamaki went over to the window and opened it, but then he turned around with a crooked grin on his face. “Sibuna.” He declared while covering his eye with one hand. Iori and Riku mirrored him. “Sibuna.” They said. 

After everything that happened with the dollhouse, all three of them were quite eager to keep discussing it for real. However, Nagi had entered the room soon, after which they decided to let it go for now and keep working on it the next day. 

When they woke up that day, which was Wednesday, it started off pretty much the same as usual. They got dressed, had breakfast, packed their bags and walked to school. In class, things were also as usual. It wasn’t until their lunch break that any of them had a chance to be alone. 

Tamaki had needed Sougo for something, so he had run off while Iori and Riku were calmly heading for the cafeteria to start eating their lunch. “Iori, I’ve been thinking about something since last night.” Riku said as they were walking. 

Iori turned his head to show Riku that he was paying attention and raised an eyebrow in question. “Yeah? What is it?” He asked. “It’s just…” Riku started, seemingly struggling with explaining his thoughts. “It’s about the dollhouse, I guess. A normal dollhouse doesn’t do what that did last night. And I really don’t think the fact that it belonged to Sara is a coincidence.” He said. 

Iori frowned. “What are you saying?” He asked. Riku groaned. “I’m not sure, but what if it’s Sara trying to tell us something? I mean, I know she’s gone. I even watched her leave! But what if she is still trying to help us? Iori, what if Sara is ‘the one who knows’?” He speculated. 

Iori seemed to consider this thought for a while. “I do agree that based on what we know, Sara could certainly be ‘the one who knows’. She knows about the cup and the Chosen One. She knows about the elixir. She knew her parents brought back artifacts, so maybe she knew that her parents specifically brought back the Mask of Anubis? Maybe she even knew how to find it.” He said. 

Riku furrowed his brows. “I sense a ‘but’… Is there a ‘but’?” He asked. Iori sighed and nodded. “But,” He started. “You said it yourself, Sara is gone. For good. At least, that is what she told you, right?” He asked. Riku nodded sadly. 

“But then how do you explain the dollhouse?” Riku asked stubbornly. Iori shrugged. “I don’t. I have no explanation for what happened with the dollhouse. Which is why this is so difficult.” Iori admitted. 

Riku smiled encouragingly and grabbed Iori’s hand. The two found that holding hands was something they both enjoyed a lot. It was comforting, grounding and encouraging. “We’ll figure something out. But in the meantime, I really do think we should keep an extra eye on that dollhouse. It could be the key to solving this. Or at least help us get started.” Riku said. 

Iori nodded. “Yeah, I agree that we should keep an eye on it. Definitely.” He said. Then the two of them saw something that made them stop in their tracks. “Akihiko-san?!” Iori exclaimed in shock as he saw his old friend/almost-uncle walking down the hallways of their school. 

“Ah, Iori! What a pleasant surprise!” Akihiko exclaimed. Iori raised an eyebrow. “Is it really? You already knew I go here.” He said and Akihiko laughed. “Well, maybe not that big of a surprise then.” He admitted. 

Iori smiled up at him. “What are you doing here?” He then asked. Now, Akihiko smirked, as if he were up to something. “Do you guys remember how I mentioned that new job?” He asked. Iori and Riku both nodded, then realization hit them. If he was here about the new job then… “Are going to work here?” Iori asked. 

Akihiko laughed loudly and unabashedly. “Well, not quite. But your headmaster has asked me to be the curator for the ‘Treasures of Egypt’ exhibition if you win the bid at the end of the week.” He explained. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “You are going to be the curator?” He asked excitedly. Even though this was only the third time Riku met him, he quite liked the older man. They may even be able to ask him if they had any questions that came up during their search for the mask. 

Akihiko shrugged. “Only if it’s going to be hosted by the school. If some other school wins the bid, then I’ll go straight back to my shop. But I did just agree to the headmaster’s offer, so as long as you win, then yes, I will be the curator.” He answered. 

“That’s great! You must be really excited. Didn’t you say that you always wanted to work with artefacts, so you always dreamed of either dealing with antiques or work in a museum?” Iori asked and Akihiko nodded. “You’re quite right. I’m going to treat this both as a privilege, and also as an opportunity for me to try this whole ‘museum curator’ business. Maybe, if I like it enough, I’ll try to change careers. I’m only 50 after all, so I’ll have to work for over ten more years either way!” He explained. 

“Well, we will do our best to win this bid then! So that you actually get to try being a curator!” Riku exclaimed and Iori nodded in agreement. “I appreciate it! Good luck.” Akihiko answered. 

“Oh, by the way…” Akihiko soon said, making it apparent that he wanted to change the subject. “I have asked around a bit regarding your… latest visit.” He said. 

Iori and Riku’s eyes widened. “And? Did you find anything new out?” Iori asked eagerly. “In regards to the mark on your arm, Riku-kun, sadly not. I have not been able to contact anyone who claims to have had it or seen it for themselves, and none of the others I have talked to knew more than I did.” He explained. 

“Oh…” Riku said, clearly a bit disappointed. He had hoped that maybe Akihiko would provide them with an easier way to break the curse. Now they really had no choice but to find the Mask of Anubis. “That’s okay, thank you for trying.” Riku then said and gave the older man a bittersweet smile. 

“However,” Akihiko added with a smile on his face, giving both Iori and Riku a little bit of hope. “I did manage to get in contact with someone who claims to be a so-called expert on all things regarding the Mask of Anubis. Someone who calls themselves ‘The Collector’. I have only talked with their associates so far, I’m hoping to get in contact with the person themselves by the end of the week.” He said. 

Iori nodded and gave Akihiko a grateful smile. “Will you tell us if you hear anything more?” He asked. Akihiko nodded. “Of course. But I think it’s about time you two get going now! I’d hate to take up your entire lunch break!” He declared before saying goodbye, leaving Iori and Riku to their own devices. 

Later that day, Iori, Riku, Tenn and some of the upperclassmen were working together on the preparations for the bid. When Tenn walked off to have the headmaster check the first draft for his speech, Iori and Riku took the opportunity to separate themselves from the group. They sneaked off towards one of the corners and pulled out the catalogue from the exhibition that they had received the other day. 

Iori opened it and flipped to the page where they showcased the Mask of Anubis. “I wish there was more information here. I keep looking at this picture, as if it’s going to make me come up with all the answers!” Iori said. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, I know what you mean. The only thing this catalogue gave us that Akihiko-san didn’t also tell us is that the bronze replica was made by Watanabe Akiko, Sara’s mother.” He added. 

Iori tensed up at that, then he turned to Riku with an expectant expression. “I just realized something.” He said, which made Riku cheer up. “Really, what is it?” He asked, smiling brightly at Iori. Iori blushed in return. “Don’t look too excited, I didn’t have a breakthrough or anything… This just basically confirms something we already practically knew, or at least assumed.” He said. 

Riku calmed down a bit, but Iori could see that he was still very excited. “I can’t believe we didn’t think of this before…” Iori said and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head before he looked up at Riku. “If Watanabe Akiko made the replica of the mask, wouldn’t that mean she had to know what the original looked like? Sure, there could be illustrations, but to claim to have made an exact replica, surely you would have seen the actual mask.” He explained. 

Riku smiled up at Iori and nodded. “And since she made it, and thus probably saw the original at least once, that only strengthens the theory that she and Ritsu brought it back from Egypt and hid it.” He said. 

“That’s right.” Iori said. “That means that, wherever it is, I think it’s safe to assume that it’s hidden somewhere in the house. Or at least somewhere connected to the Watanabes. I suppose it could actually be here, in the library as well.” He speculated. 

“I guess that could be the case.” Riku responded. They were about to continue their discussion, but that was when someone called them over to help out with something up on the second floor. And so, they would have to let the issue go for now. 

That night, Iori found himself wandering the halls. He was too worked up and sleep seemed like a far-off concept at the moment. It was not a mystery what was keeping him awake. He was worried about Riku. 

Ever since Akihiko had told them that he had not been able to come up with any answers about the curse, thus basically confirming there was no other way to break it, Iori had been concerned to say the least. He would do anything to make sure they found that mask so that Riku could be free of the curse. He would not lose him to that spirit. 

Then, all of a sudden, Iori heard the floorboards creak behind him. He spun around in a panic, ready to be face to face with an angry Tsukumo. However, the person who stood there was none other than the one who had occupied his thoughts. 

Riku smiled sheepishly up at him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” He said coyly, immediately making Iori relax. “It’s fine. What are you doing up this late anyway?” He asked. 

“I could ask the same of you.” Riku said, a small smirk on his lips that did things to Iori’s heart. Then Riku took a step closer, making it so that the distance between them was significantly smaller than before. 

Iori gulped as Riku slowly reached out and rested his hand on Iori’s left shoulder. He then stroked down all along his arm, gave his hand a light squeeze and then started moving his hand upwards again. “You know, it can be dangerous to walk around alone after dark.” Riku said, confusing Iori. 

Then something changed. The room grew cold and Riku’s hand gripped Iori’s left bicep hard, much harder than Iori thought him capable of. He looked up, and to his dismay saw Riku’s face warp into something else before his very eyes. 

Then there was a woman, cold and cruel, before him. She looked at him as if he was no better than the carpet at their feet. Iori didn’t have to think long and hard to realize that he had to be looking straight into the eyes of the same spirit lady that Riku had seen before. 

“Do not delay, or more shall share his fate.” She said, sounding very angry. That was when Iori felt a sort of burning sensation in his arm and desperately tried to pull away. But the woman’s grip was iron, there was no way to get loose. And she only laughed at his pain. 

With a jolt of pain, Iori sat straight up, his breath coming out fast and his heart beating in his chest. He looked around the room and found himself sitting upright in hi own bed. _‘Was that a dream? Like the ones Riku had…’_ He thought. 

Then Iori felt a burning and pulsing pain in his left arm. He already knew what he would find there, but he still lifted the sleeve of his T-shirt to check. Sure enough, there was the mark of Anubis. 

Iori sighed, laid back down in his bed, took some deep breaths to calm down and tried to ignore the searing pain through his left arm and shoulder. He also decided then and there that he was not going to tell Riku about his mark, the other boy already had too much to worry about as it was. Iori did not need to make him feel guilty about having Iori get cursed on top of it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no, she got Iori too!! What will happen next? Find out on Wednesday, because that's when I'll be back with a new chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading, and thank you for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iori is still thinking about whether he should tell Riku about meeting the spirit or not. Meanwhile, Riku finds a clue as to what to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you guys will like this one as well. ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

Riku groaned as he felt the light hitting his face the next morning. He didn’t feel like he had slept all that long, how could it be morning so quickly? He tried to ignore it at first, seeing as his alarm had not rung yet. However, it became increasingly more difficult as the light kept getting in his eyes.

That was when Riku realized something, the light could not be that of the sun. First of all, it was winter still, which meant the sun was never high enough in the sky to shine this brightly before his alarm rung. Second of all, their bedroom window was on the wrong side, Riku and Nagi always had sun in the afternoon and evening, not in the morning. 

Since it could not be the sun, Riku was confused, because some sort of light was hitting him right in the face. So, he gingerly opened his eyes and then quickly sat up in his bed as he saw what it was. It was the dollhouse, the lights had turned on all by themselves again. 

Riku pushed his blankets aside and carefully made it out of bed. Nagi was luckily still asleep and Riku would rather keep it that way. It would be pretty difficult to explain how their dollhouse had a life of its own after all. He supposed he should be lucky that it had not started smoking this time at least. That surely would have woken Nagi. 

Riku crouched down before the dollhouse and started looking around for something, anything that could be of importance or that could explain what was going on. “What are you trying to tell me?” He whispered, but he wasn’t sure if he was asking the dollhouse, Sara, or just whatever mystical force that was making their dollhouse practically come alive. 

Riku was growing desperate, he knew someone, or something was trying to tell him something. Whether it had to do with the Mask of Anubis or not remained to be seen, but Riku was willing to place his bets. “Please, I don’t understand what you want me to do.” He whispered this time. 

Then, out of nowhere, the lights in the tiny house turned themselves off, and the moment they did, a small drawer opened up near the bottom, in the parts that made up the house’s foundation. Riku gasped in delight and looked inside the drawer. 

Inside there was a folded piece of paper. Riku quickly unfolded it and could not help but smile at what he found. It was a map. He was not sure what the map was supposed to be over yet, it looked like some sort of path, but one thing was for sure. Near the end of the path was the mark of Anubis, which meant it had to be a map leading the way to the mask. 

After having slept for a few more hours, Riku woke up and was super excited to show Iori and Tamaki the map he had found last night. He had a theory about what it could mean and where to start, but he wanted to go over it with them before acting on it. And so, once he had gotten dressed, he put the map in one of the pockets on his pants and left the room. 

Once he got downstairs, he was happy to see Iori standing alone in the kitchen. He jogged up to him with a bright smile on his face. “Iori! Good morning!” He exclaimed, throwing his arms around Iori’s shoulders and giving his boyfriend a quick hug before pulling back. 

Iori smiled back at Riku as he entered, and even though he had been a bit taken aback, he still managed to briefly return the hug. “Good morning.” He said. Then the two just stood there and smiled at each other for a minute before they both realized, at the same time, that they had something they needed to tell the other. 

“I have something I need to tell you.” They said in unison, after which they both laughed somewhat awkwardly. “It’s fine, you go first.” Riku said, smiling sheepishly at Iori. He figured that once Riku had shared his find with Iori, that the two of them would discuss that for at least a little while, so maybe it was best to just let Iori go first. 

Iori had been struggling all morning with how much he should tell Riku. Part of him didn’t want to keep any secrets and thought it best to tell him the truth about the dream and the mark that he was now painfully aware of on his left arm. Another part of him thought maybe he could tell him about the dream, to let him know he was not the only one who had seen the spirit anymore but leave out the fact that he was cursed. Then there was the part of him that wanted to hide it all so as to not worry him. 

In the end, Iori decided that, at the very least he had to tell him about the dream, so that he knew that the spirit was not only capable of visiting him. “Okay, I had a dream last night.” Iori said in all seriousness. Riku, however, only raised an eyebrow in question, basically telling Iori to go on. 

“The same kind of dream you have had. I think I saw the spirit lady.” Iori finally admitted. Riku’s smiled completely vanished and his face turned pale. The worry was visible on every part of his face. “Did she curse you too? You didn’t let her touch you, did you? Please tell me she didn’t touch you!” He exclaimed. 

Iori brought his hands up and carefully placed them on Riku’s shoulders to try and calm him down. After seeing how worried the other got, Iori finally made the final decision regarding what to do. And then he told a lie. “It’s fine, she didn’t touch me. I’m okay.” He said, looking Riku in the eyes all the while. 

Riku took a deep breath and visibly relaxed at that. “Thank god.” He mumbled before he leaned forward and rested his forehead against Iori’s chest while Iori stroked his hair in calming motions. 

When Riku pulled away seconds later, he still looked worried, though not nearly as much as before. “But this means that it’s not only me she can visit. We need to be really careful.” He said and Iori nodded in agreement. 

Riku sighed as Iori let go of his shoulders, having sensed that the redhead had calmed down enough by then. “Did she tell you anything?” Riku then asked, to which Iori furrowed his brows in response. “Who?” He asked. 

“The spirit!” Riku exclaimed. “Did the spirit tell you anything in your dream?” He then asked. “Well,” Iori started. “She basically told us not to delay. I’m guessing that means we are on a bit of a time crunch here.” He answered. 

Riku groaned. “So, it’s like last year? Except this time the deadline is not a very specific date that no one bothered to tell us about, it’s the patience of a narrowminded and murderous dead woman.” He said. 

Iori sighed and nodded. “That’s what it looks like.” He said. Riku nodded, but he did not look happy about it. To try and distract him from the sour mood, Iori decided to ask him about whatever it was that Riku had wanted to tell him earlier. He had looked so happy that Iori assumed it had to be something good. “So anyway, what did you have to tell me?” He asked. 

Riku did immediately brighten up at the reminder of the map he found, since now they finally had a clue. “Well, something happened to me too tonight. I woke up in the middle of the night, thinking the sun was hitting my face. Only, my alarm hadn’t rung yet, and the sun should not rise that early in the winter, also, mine and Nagi’s room gets sunlight in the afternoon, not the morning.” He started. 

Iori frowned. “What was the light then?” He asked. “The dollhouse!” Riku exclaimed. “The dollhouse lit up, though luckily it wasn’t smoking like last time, lest it would have woken Nagi up as well.” He said. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “Again? Did you manage to find anything?” He asked, sounding rather hopeful. Riku smiled. “Not at first, but then a drawer opened up in the house’s foundation. And guess what was inside?” He asked, a smirk on his lips. 

“I have no idea.” Iori said, but he was also smiling now. “Come on, tell me!” He soon exclaimed. Riku snickered and reached into his pocket to pull out the folded-up map. He then unfolded it and showed Iori. “This. It’s a map, and look.” Riku said, pointing at the end of path-like area depicted on the paper. 

Iori studied the map and then looked where Riku was pointing. “That’s the mark of Anubis.” He said and looked up, meeting Riku’s expectant gaze. Riku nodded. “I think that might be where the Mask of Anubis is hidden.” He declared. 

Iori grinned. “That has to be it. Riku, this is amazing! We have a map leading us straight to the mask!” He said and pulled the redhead into his arms, making Riku laugh. 

“There’s just one problem.” Riku said as Iori let him go. “We don’t know where to find whatever path is depicted here on the map. It doesn’t fit with any of the places we know.” He said. 

Iori frowned. “You have a point. We’ll have to find somewhere to apply the map, a starting point so to say. Also, after all we had to go through last term to find the Cup of Ankh, I bet it’s not as simple as to just make our way through these paths. There are probably going to be puzzles and the like.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, the Mask of Anubis is surely valuable, and probably has some power as well, just like the cup. They would not have made it easy to reach.” He said. 

“Well,” Iori started. “At least we have somewhere to start now. We need to find whatever path is drawn on the map.” He said and Riku nodded. “Yeah, and now we also know that the dollhouse is helping us get to the mask. We really need to keep an eye on it.” He said. 

Iori sighed but nodded. “As crazy as it sounds, I agree that it seems like the dollhouse is helping us with this quest. We’re so lucky that Yotsuba-san saved it when it was about to be thrown out.” He said. 

“Yeah, that was really lucky.” Riku agreed. “Also, I think the dollhouse might have given me another clue as to where to start looking for the paths on this map.” He then added, intriguing Iori. “Really? Where?” He asked. 

“I found the map in a hidden drawer in the foundation of the house.” Riku started. Iori nodded to show that he was listening as Riku continued. “So, this morning I had a thought. What if this map shows something that is hidden beneath the House of Anubis?” He speculated. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “You think this is a map over hidden tunnels under the house?” He asked and Riku nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Just think about it, I found the map under the dollhouse, sort of. So, if it’s a replica of the original house, wouldn’t it make sense if the tunnels were hidden in the same place as the map?” He asked. 

“I suppose.” Iori said. “Also, check this out.” Riku added as he pointed at the very first room on the map. “Doesn’t this first room have sort of the same layout as the cellar? Shouldn’t that mean the entrance to the tunnels is down there somewhere?” He asked. 

Iori nodded, but he looked a bit thoughtful. “It does look similar, but it’s not entirely the same.” He said. Riku rolled his eyes at him. “It was drawn like a hundred years ago, it wouldn’t be that surprising if Tsukumo refurnished it, right?” He said, making Iori smile. “I guess not.” He said. 

“So, the plan is to check out the cellar? Then we need to make sure to go when Tsukumo isn’t there.” Iori said. Riku nodded, but before he had a chance to discuss it further, Tenn entered the kitchen. 

“Oh, there you two are.” He said, giving Riku a smile while looking warily over at Iori. “I got a text from Momo-san. You know, one of the upperclassmen working on the film for the bid. They need someone to do the voiceover and suggested that Tsukumo does it. He is more invested in all of this than anyone, so they asked if we could do it as soon as possible. If we are able, they even want us to do it before we keep working on the bid this afternoon.” He explained. 

Iori frowned, clearly he did not want to spend any time doing that right now that they had just been able to make some progress, but Riku opened his mouth before Iori got a chance to decline. “That is a great idea!” He exclaimed. “There should be enough time to do it before school, right?” He said. 

Tenn shrugged. “I suppose. I just have to get the equipment from Momo-san and then we can start. He said he was coming over, so he should be here-” He started, but was interrupted by the doorbell. “Any second now.” Tenn finished with a smirk before leaving the room to go get the equipment. 

Iori looked at Riku. “Are you sure? Do we really have time to do this right now?” He asked. “It’s the perfect opportunity!” Riku exclaimed. “You can go with Tenn-nii and record Tsukumo, it will work as a distraction. Meanwhile, I can go get Tamaki, and together, the two of us can check out the cellar!” He explained. 

Realization dawned on Iori. “That’s not a bad idea.” He said. “Are you sure you two will be okay on your own though?” He then asked, to which Riku nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. I’ll bring Tamaki with me, so I’m sure it will be fine.” He said before raising his hand to cover his eye. “Sibuna?” He asked. Iori smiled at him. “Sibuna.” He said. 

It was strangely comforting to crawl through the tight and dark space of the pathway from the oven to the cellar. It was familiar, in a way. And it meant that they were finally making some sort of progress. When you had a deadly curse hanging over you, you were happy for any sort of progress, no matter how small. 

Tamaki had been surprised to say the least when Riku had stormed into his room to explain what was going on. The blue-haired boy was still in the progress of waking up and had to really concentrate on what Riku was saying. In the end, he managed to understand that there might be tunnels under the house that led to what they had to find, the entrance was most likely in the cellar, and since Tsukumo was distracted they should take this chance to check it out. At least it was enough to go along with Riku. 

And so, now they were crawling through the oven to reach the cellar. Tamaki was leading the way, still in his pajamas to save time, while Riku followed close behind. They soon reached the main part of the cellar, and the comforting familiarity of the secret pathway quickly vanished, replaced by the stressful memories of what had happened last time they were down there. 

It was clear to both Riku and Tamaki that they both thought back to that night Riku built the cup. A lot happened that night, and most of it had not been very pleasant. Shaking off the memories, Riku quickly pulled out the map and showed it to Tamaki. He had done the same before in the bedroom, but it was only now that Tamaki was awake enough to really look at it. 

“Okay, so this is the map. Iori and I believe that this room,” Riku started, circling the room that seemed to be the starting point. “is the cellar. In other words, the room we are standing in.” He explained. 

Tamaki nodded. “Okay, I can see that. So, then there is supposed to be some sort of hidden doorway or something along one of the walls?” He asked and Riku nodded. Riku adjusted the map then, trying to figure out how to spin it so that it mirrored the room they were stood in. 

“Okay, so the stairs… are in front of us along the right wall… So, then I turn the map this way…” Riku mumbled as he turned the map around. Now that they were stood in the cellar with the map held in the right way, both Riku and Tamaki could really confirm that the cellar really was shaped the exact same way as the room on the map. 

Tamaki pointed at where the cellar seemingly connected to the rest of the tunnels on the map. “According to the map, it looks like the entrance should be somewhere along the wall that is opposite of the stairs back up to the house.” He observed. 

Riku nodded in agreement. “Yeah, the question is only where.” He said. Tamaki then took a step forward, turned around and grinned brightly at Riku. “Well, we won’t find out the answer to that question by just standing around here. Let’s check it out!” He exclaimed. Riku smiled back and nodded enthusiastically before he put the map away again to join Tamaki. 

Before they could really start looking, however, something else in the cellar caught their eyes. It was the table with all of Tsukumo’s ‘chemistry experiments’ on it. Though Tamaki and Riku (along with Iori, Nagi, Sougo and Tenn) both knew that it was actually him trying to brew more elixir. 

“It looks the same as it did last term…” Riku pointed out. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah… Do you think that Tsukumo is brewing elixir again? He didn’t seem very keen on the idea after we threw out the last of his old batch. Or when he thought the Cup of Ankh was destroyed.” He said. 

Riku shrugged. “I don’t know if he is actively trying to brew it at the moment, but I know that he has not given up on the idea of being able to recreate it one day. I don’t think he ever will, actually. It has been his life’s work for so long now, I doubt he is ever going to truly give up.” He said. 

“Then again,” Riku started. “I think there might be a connection between the Mask of Anubis and the elixir. The Mask of Anubis is said to be used to create these so called ‘tears of gold’. And as far as I can understand, both from the doll riddle we told you about, and from what we overheard Tsukumo say, I think tears of gold might be an ingredient in the elixir. In fact, I think it’s the ingredient Tsukumo is missing to complete his own elixir.” He explained. 

Tamaki sighed. “So, in other words, it would be really bad if Tsukumo finds out that the Mask of Anubis might be hidden under the house and that we are looking for it?” He asked. 

Riku nodded. “Exactly, we need to be really careful. Then there is also the issue about the cup. If Tsukumo finds out that it was not destroyed that night and that it’s still hidden in the house, he is going to do everything to get his hands on it.” He added. 

Tamaki frowned. “Would he really, though?” He asked. Riku looked confused at that, and Tamaki noticed. “I mean, last term when Tsukumo learned from Kujou that you would kill someone by drinking the elixir from the Cup of Ankh, he looked devastated. I know he wanted immortality, but I’m not sure he would kill someone else for it.” He explained. 

Riku smiled up at him. “Yeah, I forgot about that… We should still be careful, but maybe you are right. Maybe Tsukumo wouldn’t be interested in the cup now that he knows what’s at stake. We can hope at least.” He agreed before turning serious again. “But we still really need to be carful about the Mask of Anubis. That’s our biggest priority right now.” Riku said. 

Tamaki nodded. “Speaking of the mask, shouldn’t we start looking for that secret entrance to the tunnels? Tsukumo could be finished any second now, and we still have barely even started.” He said. 

“Right!” Riku exclaimed. “Let’s find this thing!” He said. Then both he and Tamaki turned away from the elixir-brewing-table and faced the wall opposite of the staircase. The secret entrance had to be somewhere along this wall. However, as they looked, they could not really find anything that could be described as a door. 

They even checked if it might be a hatch in the floor, but still nothing. Tamaki was now knocking on the wall to try and hear if it was hollow anywhere, but it sort of bothered Riku, he was scared that Tsukumo would hear them from upstairs. “Stop that for now, we can’t risk Tsukumo hearing us.” He said and Tamaki complied. 

“Maybe you have to use your locket to open something? It worked for not one, but two hidden spaces in the attic, the pathway from the kitchen to the cellar and on that one dictionary we needed for the search last term!” Tamaki suggested. 

“Maybe.” Riku said. “But usually there is some sort of indication when I have to use it. First of all, there is always some sort of marking or indentation in the wall or the object I need to open. Then the locket also starts to glow when I get close to it, especially if it’s the first time I discover it.” He explained. 

Tamaki frowned. “Then how about that bookshelf?” He suggested, pointing at a bookshelf that was placed almost right in the middle of the wall. “Bookshelves are usually used to hide a secret door in movies, right?” Tamaki then added. 

Riku seemed to consider this for a moment, then nodded and stepped closer to the bookshelf. “I guess we could check it out a bit closer. I mean, the worst thing that could happen is that we find out that it’s not what we’re looking for, right?” He asked, to which Tamaki nodded in reply. 

The two walked up to the bookshelf and started looking. They searched for switches, for any indication that they could use Riku’s locket, and they tried pulling out books as if they were switches. 

Soon, Riku sighed. “Something is off about this bookshelf, but we can’t find anything that indicates that it actually opens up…” He complained. “I mean, it does look slightly different from the other bookshelves in here. Like, the design is not the same.” Tamaki tried to point out. 

Riku nodded. “It’s also the only bookshelf which is built into the wall. I don’t think we could move this even if we wanted to.” He added. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, then it’s got all those weird eights at the top.” He said. 

This made Riku freeze for a second. “What do you mean? Eights?” He asked as he turned to Tamaki, who in return nodded in confusion. “Yeah… Doesn’t the pattern at the top of the bookshelf sort of look like a bunch of eights?” He asked and pointed at the top of the bookshelf. 

Riku looked up, and sure enough, it looked like it was just a long row of eights. Riku carefully stroked his hand over the pattern, and that was when he noticed that four of the eights near the middle of the bookshelf were loose. After some fiddling with them, it became apparent that they could be spun around. 

“Tamaki, look!” Riku exclaimed excitedly. “It’s a combination! We need to enter a code here, and then I bet this opens up into the tunnels!” He said. Tamaki smiled back enthusiastically. “That’s great! So, what’s the code?” He then asked, as if the answer should be obvious. 

Riku frowned. “Well, I don’t know. We have nothing to go on… But I suppose I have a few numbers I could try.” He said. After that, Riku proceeded to enter 1922, the year the Watanabes visited Tutankhamun’s tomb and the year the House of Anubis was given its name, and then he also tried Ritsu, Akiko and Sara’s birthdays. Sadly, none of them worked. 

Riku sighed. “That’s all the ones I had in mind… But now we know where the entrance is, at least.” He said, turning to look at Tamaki. “Let’s go back upstairs and talk to Iori. Then we can start working on figuring out the right combination.” He said. Tamaki quickly agreed and then they left the cellar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the search for the Mask is actually starting! I'm really excited! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll be back with a new one on Saturday. Thank you to everyone who supports this story in any way! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku a d Tamaki return from the cellar and finally the day off the bid had arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with the next chapter! Hopefully you're all doing good! My Swedish ass is melting because I can't handle heat and it's been very warm these past few days (fyi 25+°C is too warm for me I'M WEAK) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can find me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

After their visit to the cellar, it became evident that Tamaki and Riku had left at just the right time. Because the moment they exited the kitchen and walked into the hallway, Tsukumo, Iori and Tenn came down the stairs and Tsukumo headed down into the cellar while Iori and Tenn walked over to Riku and Tamaki.

“Hey, how did it go with the recording?” Riku asked cheerfully. Tenn shrugged. “It went pretty good. Tsukumo was way too monotone at first, but I think it turned out okay, at least, in the end.” He said. “Where did you disappear to anyway? Izumi Iori said you had something to do before school started and couldn’t join us.” Tenn then asked. 

Riku blinked at Tenn, he clearly had not thought of something to say. “Uhm… I was… helping Tamaki finish his homework. Iori got annoyed doing it last night so I promised to help him with the last of it this morning.” He finally managed to come up with. 

Tamaki nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, we just finished.” He said. “So, we figured we should get some breakfast now.” He then added. Tenn raised an eyebrow in question. “You know you are still wearing your pajamas, right?” He asked, making Tamaki look down and notice that he was indeed still in his pajamas. “Right! I’ll just… go change before then.” He said before awkwardly making his way back to his room. 

Tenn sighed and shook his head. “Anyway, since we finished the recording, I need to go over with this to Momo-san. The sooner he gets it, the sooner he can add it to the film. The bid is tomorrow, so he’s going to appreciate getting it this soon.” He said. 

Riku and Iori nodded. “Sure, good luck with that.” Iori said, making Tenn look at him, but it wasn’t quite as hostile as before. “Right, thanks for the help, I guess…” He said, and then he left. 

Now that Iori and Riku were alone, Iori immediately closed the distance and pulled the redhead into a hug. Riku returned it and buried his face in Iori’s shoulder. “I tried to delay Tsukumo as much as I could, but he was pretty impatient. I’m glad you made it out in time.” Iori said, still holding onto Riku. 

It was not until Iori pulled away that he decided to ask about what happened down in the cellar. “So? How did it go? Did you find anything?” He asked curiously. 

Riku grinned at him and nodded. “We did. There is a bookshelf along the wall that is opposite of the one where the staircase is. We think the opening to the tunnels is behind that bookshelf as it is the only bookshelf that is attached to the wall and looks the way it does. Also, you can enter a combination at the top, which we think is how you open it.” Riku explained. 

Iori looked thoughtful as he nodded. “Okay, that’s good. Do we have any idea what the code could be?” He asked. Riku shook his head. “It consists of four numbers, but it’s not 1922, neither is it any of the Watanabes’ birthdays. Those were the only ones I could think of right then and there.” He explained. 

Iori nodded. “Well, then at least we can exclude those. We’ll think of something, I’m sure of it.” He said. Riku smiled up at him. “Yeah, we will. Also, let’s keep an eye on the dollhouse, it might give us another clue.” He said and Iori agreed. 

As it turned out, Iori and Riku didn’t have much time at all to work on the combination. With the bid approaching fast, they had to dedicate almost all of their time to that. The next day, which was Friday and also the day of the bid, Iori, Riku, Tenn and all of the upperclassmen who had been preparing all week had been excused from their classes after lunch to take care of some of the finishing touches. 

So, now they were all gathered in the Watanabe Library. Tables filled with drinks and snacks had been set up, as many chairs as possible had been fitted into the limited space and a projector had been set up so that they could show the film that the third years (mainly) had made. 

Both Tsukumo and Sousuke were visibly really nervous, they were constantly yelling at everyone to fix or to change something. They both must really want to win the exhibition. Although, Iori and Riku suspected that their headmaster was more interested in the fame that would come with hosting it while Tsukumo was more interested in the actual content of the exhibition. 

It had been a stressful few days, but it was fun at the same time. And now that it was only minutes left, everyone started to get really excited for this Gustav Ziestack to arrive. Akihiko had also joined them a few minutes ago, seeing as he was going to be the curator for the exhibition if Yaotome Academy won it. 

Soon, the headmaster told everyone that he was going to go get Gustav, after which he left for around five minutes before returning with a man in tow. He was quite short and skinny, looked like he was in his fifties with short and thinning grey hair and brown eyes. He wore a grey suit and a blue tie. 

“Everyone, I would like to present to you Gustav Ziestack, the manager of the ‘Treasures if Egypt’ exhibition.” Sousuke presented, after which Iori and Riku joined the other staff and students in applauding the man, who in returned bowed humbly. 

“Thank you very much, Yaotome-san. I am so pleased to be here, it’s the final school I’m checking out before deciding which gets to host the exhibition. If you do well enough and win the bid, you might even have the contract signed by the end of the day! So, give me your all! I am very excited!” Gustav said before Sousuke showed him to his seat in the front row of all the chairs they had placed in the room. 

It was now time for Tenn’s speech, so Riku turned to his brother, gave his hand a light squeeze and smiled encouragingly. “Good luck! You’ve got this!” He whispered. Tenn returned the smile “Thank you.” He whispered back before letting go of Riku’s hand and taking his place at the front of the room. 

Tenn cleared his throat. “Welcome, Gustav Ziestack, to Yaotome Academy and to the Watanabe Library, the building in which the ‘Treasures of Egypt’ exhibition will be hosted if we win this bid.” Tenn started, which earned him a small applause. 

Tenn took a deep breath before continuing. “Sometimes, you have to wait a really long time for good things to come along. But in the end, they’re always worth the wait. This library has been closed for ages, since 1970 even, waiting for something to give it purpose and meaning. That something is the ‘Treasures of Egypt’ exhibition.” 

Riku turned to Iori with a smile. “He’s doing really good, isn’t he?” He asked excitedly. Iori had to fight the urge to roll his eyes at that but focusing on Riku’s bright smile helped. So, he forced a smile onto his face and nodded. “Mhm.” He hummed in answer, which seemed to satisfy Riku. 

“Our school has many links to Ancient Egypt.” Tenn continued. “The Watanabe family, after whom this library is named and by whom it was donated to the school, is only one of them. This film that us students have made will tell you all you need to know about it.” He finished, gesturing to the big white screen that hung behind him. 

A few seconds later, the film started playing and Tenn made his way to the side as to not block the screen. Gustav seemed to be really interested in it all, as he stared in concentration at the film. 

Iori and Riku were sat in the back, this was the first time either of them saw it, even though Iori had been there when they recorded Tsukumo’s narration, so it was quite interesting for them too. While they had already been aware of most of the links to Ancient Egypt, some came as a surprise to them as well. The third years had done a really good job researching for this film. 

After a while, the film started talking about and showing Anubis House. “Another connection the Watanabe family left behind is in the form of one of our many dorms. The House of Anubis was the private residence for Watanabe Ritsu and Akiko leading up to their death and was named after the God Anubis, the ancient Egyptian God of Death. The house was originally built in 1890 and was later donated to the school in 1960 by the couple’s only daughter, Watanabe Sara.” Tsukumo’s voice said on the film. 

As if he had been struck by lightning, Riku’s eyes shot open and he turned to Iori, pulling on his sleeve to get his attention. “Iori! Iori!” Riku whispered until Iori turned to him with a questioning and slightly alarmed expression. “What is it? Is something wrong?” He whispered back. 

Riku just smiled and shook his head. “What if 1890 is the combination for the bookshelf? It’s the year the house was built! We haven’t tried that yet, so I think it’s worth a shot!” He said. 

Realization dawned on Iori and he nodded in agreement. “That could be the case. I didn’t even realize that, and I already heard the entire script when Tsukumo recorded it.” He said. 

Riku didn’t mind though, he was just excited to have another combination to try. “Once the film is done, there will be time for Gustav to mingle with the teachers and the students. Tsukumo will be stuck here, so should we use that time to sneak into the cellar and try the new combination?” He suggested. 

Iori considered it for a while, but in the end agreed that would be the best option. “Yeah, let’s do that.” He said. 

The film ended a few minutes later, however, Riku and Iori couldn’t leave quite yet, as Gustav asked if he could say a few words. The two of them sat back down listened to what he had to say. 

“I have to say,” Gustav started. “That I have never visited a Japanese school with so many links to ancient Egypt. The Watanabes are quite famous to people who work with Egyptian artefacts, and I had no idea that this is where they came from. In fact, some of the exhibits that will be on display were actually discovered by them.” He said. 

“The movie was brilliant, this building is the perfect place for an exhibition and I am excited to learn more about all of you students as well as the staff. But I can say this, it is looking very good for you, and I am most tempted to simply hand you the exhibition right now. But, to give every nominee a fair chance, I must see this bid through to the end before I announce the results. So please, let’s move on to the next part.” He declared. 

Everyone applauded Gustav as he basically announced that they had won, and Iori and Riku took that chance to start sneaking off. However, as Iori raised his arm to grab onto a shelf to help pull himself up from the chair, his already short sleeve started sliding down towards his shoulder. And Riku, who happened to look at him in that moment, saw that on Iori’s left arm there was a mark much like his own. 

Riku quickly grabbed on to Iori’s arm and pulled him along to the side of the room, a bit away from all the people. Iori, who was very much confused at the force which Riku used to pull him away, could do nothing but follow. 

Once they had a little bit of privacy, Riku looked at Iori in horror as he pulled up his sleeve. “You told me she didn’t touch you! You told me that everything was fine, that there was nothing to worry about! How long have you had this? Since that dream? Or did she come back again to mark you and you didn’t think to tell me?” He asked, clearly upset that Iori had hidden this from him. 

Iori’s expression turned into one filled with guilt as he realized that Riku had discovered his mark. “I’m sorry! But I’ve only seen her once, I promise! I did lie about her not touching me in that one dream I had, but I haven’t seen her since then.” He explained. 

Riku looked pained. “But why would you lie to me about something like that? It’s important! You didn’t think I would want to know that my boyfriend is now just as cursed as I am?” He asked, clearly hurt by Iori not telling him the truth. 

Iori sighed, he really was feeling bad about telling that lie, but he thought he did it for Riku’s best. “I am so sorry, okay? I only did it because I didn’t want you to worry about me on top of everything else. Besides, this doesn’t change anything. We still have to find the mask and, cursed or not, I was going to be there with you until the very end.” He said. 

Riku blinked away tears that were forming in his eyes. He was hurt, and Iori knew that, but he didn’t want to cry on top of it all. “And I get why you did that, but Iori I don’t need you to protect me by hiding things from me! If we are going to do this, I need you to be honest about things like this! If something similar happens in the future, you have to promise to tell me, okay?” He asked. 

Iori nodded. “Of course. I’ll tell you everything, whatever you want to know. I’m really sorry.” He said before he pulled Riku into a hug, which Riku, much to Iori’s relief, returned. They stood there for a minute before they pulled apart. Riku dried his eyes to get any tear-residue away. 

“Okay, let’s just go now, yeah? We can talk more about this on the way, but we can’t risk losing this chance to sneak into the cellar unnoticed.” Riku said and Iori nodded in agreement. “Yeah, let’s go back to the house.” He said. And then the two of them left the Watanabe Library and the bid behind. 

Tamaki had been shocked to say the least when Iori and Riku came barging into his bedroom (which was technically Iori’s as well, but that was not important at that moment). He was even more shocked when he noticed the obvious tension between the two. They were holding hands, but Riku’s eyes were red and Iori kept casting guilty-looking peeks at Riku from time to time. 

“What is going on? Shouldn’t you two still be at the bid?” Tamaki asked carefully as he locked and put away his phone, which he had been using to play mobile games on before they arrived. 

“We need to go into the cellar again.” Riku said. “We may have figured out the combination for the bookshelf and this is our chance to try it, since Tsukumo is stuck with Gustav Ziestack at the bid. He really wants to win this exhibition for some reason, and he would not risk leaving when Gustav is there. This is our best shot at going in there unnoticed.” Iori then added as an explanation. 

Tamaki understood the situation now, so he stood up and nodded. “Well then, what are we waiting for?” He asked. However, Riku held out a hand to stop him. “There is one more thing.” He said, and Tamaki raised an eyebrow in question, silently asking him to go on. 

Riku sighed, let go of Iori’s hand and then pulled up his left sleeve, showing Tamaki the mark. Tamaki’s eyes widened in response. “No way, you got one too?” He asked. Iori nodded. “Yeah, a little over a day ago. The spirit visited me in a dream and gave me this.” He explained. 

Riku then stepped forward so that he was now stood directly in front of Tamaki. “I really do appreciate you wanting to help, but I’m giving you a chance to back out now. Me and Iori have to find the mask, because otherwise that spirit will probably kill us. You’re still not cursed, so you don’t have to do this. But if you keep helping us, she might come for you next. I don’t want to put you in danger, so it’s fine if you don’t want to help us anymore.” He declared. 

Tamaki’s eyes widened. “I’m not backing out.” He then said. “While I do appreciate the concern, I am not going to leave my two best friends to die. I’m helping you, whether you want me to or not. As long as the spirit doesn’t touch me, I’m fine, right?” He asked. 

Riku smiled up at him and nodded. “Are you sure though?” He asked, just to be sure. Tamaki grinned and nodded. “Never been more sure of anything!” He announced. “Then let’s do this.” Iori declared, holding up his hand in front of his eye. Riku and Tamaki quickly mirrored him and then they all said it together. “Sibuna!” 

Once that was out of the way, the three friends could finally head into the kitchen, have Riku open the oven and then make their way into the cellar. Once there, Riku and Tamaki both pointed out the bookshelf with the combination. Iori got to inspect the top of the shelf and saw that there were indeed a whole bunch of eights engraved at the top. 

“So,” Tamaki started. “What did you think the combination might be?” He asked. “1890” Iori answered. “It is the year the House of Anubis was built. They mentioned it in the film that the third years made for the bid.” He explained. “Oh, I see.” Tamaki said. 

Riku took a deep breath and then reached out for the panel where the combination could be entered. “Here goes nothing.” He said before he started spinning the panels in order to enter the number ‘1890’. 

When he had done it, Riku took a step back, waiting to see if anything happened. When nothing did happen, he sighed in dejection. He was just about to suggest they leave again to go back to the bid when they started hearing the sound of gears turning. There was a loud clinking sound, and then, finally, the bookshelf moved backwards into the wall, and then off to the side, revealing an opening into a different room. 

They all stared in awe into the opening for a minute, as if they couldn’t believe it was there. Then Riku turned to look at both Iori and Tamaki, an excited smile on his face. “We did it.” He said. “We did.” Iori agreed as he reached out to take ahold of Riku’s hand. “What are we waiting for? Let’s check it out!” Tamaki exclaimed, and that was all the encouragement they needed before they entered the room. 

The room was relatively small and badly lit, with only two desk lamps that were still working. The floor was the same beige/gray stone floor that was in the cellar, but there was a red Arabian rug covering the majority of it, making it seem a bit less cold and boring. The walls were made of wood that was painted green and there were multiple bookshelves and paintings lining the green walls. Other than that, there was also a desk and a chair, a brown leather sofa, two brown leather armchairs and a small coffee table in the room. 

As the three walked inside, they soon heard the same sound that they had heard mere seconds ago. They turned around and saw that the bookshelf was moving back into place. “No!” Riku exclaimed as he rushed to the door, but it was already closed. “How do we get back out?” Tamaki asked, also feeling a bit worried. 

They tried pushing and pulling, but it wouldn’t budge. That was when Iori noticed something. “You guys, there is a button here next to the opening.” He said and pointed at a small, square button in the wall. “Do I push it?” He asked. Riku and Tamaki nodded, and so that is what Iori did. 

The moment the button was pushed, the door opened without a problem, making them all let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, that’s good. Now we know how to open it from both ends. Also, this means we can still be in here while Tsukumo is in the cellar, we just have to make sure he’s not there when we enter or leave.” Riku said. 

Tamaki and Iori agreed to that and then they all went back to exploring the room. “It’s some sort of study…” Iori observed. “A secret study.” Tamaki added. “If we are going to be spending a lot of time down here, we should bring some dusters. This place is even worse than the attic.” Riku said, covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve. 

Iori turned to him, concern written all over his face. “Are you okay?” He asked. Riku nodded. “Yeah. Probably shouldn’t stay in here for too long though. It’s been closed off for so long that all the dust has just collected over the years. I’m willing to bet that nobody has been in here since Sara’s parents died.” He said. 

“Speaking of Sara’s parents,” Tamaki said, effectively catching the other two’s attention as he pointed to a painting that hung on the wall next to a bookshelf. “Isn’t that a picture of her dad? Watanabe Ritsu?” He asked. 

Riku nodded while walking up to the picture frame. “It is. Maybe this study was his then?” He suggested. “That has to be the case. Come check this out.” Iori called out from where he was stood by the desk. Riku and Tamaki quickly joined him. “What did you find, Iorin?” Tamaki asked. 

“Check out these journals, they all belonged to Watanabe Ritsu and they date all the way from 1890 to 1920.” He said. Tamaki frowned. “Didn’t we go through a bunch of his journals last term? When we were looking for the cup.” He asked. 

Riku nodded. “We did. It was when we were trying to solve the riddle about that dictionary. But those journals were all from his two final years. 1920 to 1922. These must be all his journals from before then.” He said. “Yeah, that has to be it.” Iori agreed. “Man, this old dude sure loved to write journals. There has to be around a hundred journals in this room.” Tamaki said, looking around in disbelief. Iori rolled his eyes at him. “Not every book in this room is a journal, genius. I’d say around a third of them probably are though, so it’s still a lot.” He said. 

Tamaki then started wandering around the room, ending up back by the portrait of Watanabe Ritsu. He found himself sort of drawn to it. Having had a sudden thought that there was something with that picture that stood out, Tamaki tried removing it from the wall. When he did that, he found a small secret compartment behind it. 

“Iorin! Rikkun! Come look at this!” He exclaimed. Iori and Riku walked over to him and looked at what he had uncovered. Behind the painting hung six necklaces on hooks in the wall. They consisted of a black leather string and then there was some sort of light beige disk hanging from it, each with a different animal on it. 

“Nice find Tamaki!” Riku exclaimed, giving Tamaki a high-five. Iori took a closer look. “These look like some sort of amulets. I bet we are going to need them at some point for something. I’m just not sure for what yet.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “Okay, but now we know that they’re here at least.” He said. “So, we’ve got a whole lot of journals and six necklaces?” Tamaki asked. “Amulets.” Iori corrected and Tamaki only rolled his eyes in response. 

“Yeah…” Riku said then. “We found this room and the journals and the amulets, which is great. But according to the map, the path continued from here. And the only door I can see is the one leading back into the cellar.” He pointed out. 

Iori frowned. “That’s true. We’re going to have to find a different door.” He said. Riku opened his mouth to say something more, but that was when the dust started getting to him and he started coughing. Iori stroked his back to calm him down, and then he refused to let go. “Maybe we should come back and do that some other time though.” He suggested, and Riku nodded weakly. 

Before they left however, Iori grabbed a few of Ritsu’s journals. “Maybe there’s some sort of answer or clue in here. Who knows when we will have a chance to come back? It’s better to take these with us than to just wait.” He said. Tamaki and Riku nodded in agreement and then grabbed a book or two themselves. Then all three of them left the secret study and returned to the cellar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 done! I hope you liked it and are looking forward to the next one! Which will be posted on Wednesday, as usual. ^^ Thank you for reading, and thank you to everyone who leaves kudos or comments, they make my day! <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school wins the bid, Iori, Riku and Tamaki are studying Ritsu's journals, and Tsumugi has an announcement to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you will enjoy this one! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

After Iori, Riku and Tamaki had left the cellar and the secret study behind, they had made their way back to the bid just in time to hear Gustav announce that Yaotome Academy had won the bid. Everyone cheered and it didn’t seem like their presence had been missed.

The next day, the three all decided to pay a visit to Akihiko. They knew he would be at the Watanabe Library, getting the place ready for the exhibition to arrive, which it was scheduled to do on Monday. They figured they could maybe give him a hand, and also use it as an excuse to get away from Tsukumo, so that they could read Ritsu’s journals without him interfering. 

When they got there, Akihiko was immediately very pleased to see he had company. “Iori and Riku! What a pleasant surprise! Oh, and you brought another friend along as well!” He exclaimed happily. 

“Hello!” Tamaki said with a wave and a grin. “Yotsuba Tamaki, I’m Iorin’s roommate, and both of their classmate.” He then introduced himself. “Ah, so you are the roommate, huh? Well, it’s nice to meat you!” Akihiko said. “Likewise.” Tamaki said. 

“So, what brings you here today?” Akihiko then asked. “We thought we would ask if you needed any help to prepare for the exhibition.” Riku replied, making Akihiko’s expression change into one of surprise. He must not have expected that to be the answer. “Oh my, that is very kind of you. I feel a bit bad, seeing as you already worked so hard on the bid.” He said. 

“Well, we also have some homework to do and figured we could sit here and do it. Keep you company at least, and it also allows us to get out of the house.” Iori then said, he didn’t want to make Akihiko feel bad about it, even if he did also want to help him. 

Akihiko brightened up at that. “Oh, well if that’s the case, then I would be delighted to have some company!” He said and gestured for them to head over to one of the tables in the room. As they sat down and started taking out their notes and books, Riku looked up at Akihiko. “We’ll sit here then, but it’s really fine if you need help! Just call us and we’ll do it!” He exclaimed. 

Akihiko nodded and gave him a smile. “Will do! Now, you three should focus on your studies.” He said before he left them to their own devices as he went back to his work. 

Now that they were alone, Iori pulled a few of Ritsu’s journals out of his bag. “Okay, so the plan right now is that we look through these and say something immediately if we find anything related to the tunnels, the Mask of Anubis or those amulets we found.” He said as he handed bot Riku and Tamaki a journal and they nodded. Then they started reading. 

Tamaki was able to concentrate for about ten minutes, then he gave up and started doodling in his notebook. After 30 minutes had passed, Riku also sighed and put down the book. He looked at Iori with an exhausted look and pointed down at his journal before reading the section out loud. 

“Today I saw a cloud that looked like a sphinx. Oh, what a joy it is to be alive.” Riku read, a deadpan expression on his face that made Iori smile in amusement. Riku groaned. “Let’s face it, these journals are so boring! He literally has three entire pages filled with his thoughts while cloud gazing.” He said. 

Iori chuckled. “I admit that it’s not the most interesting thing, but we don’t really have a choice. We need to keep going.” He said before going back to reading. Riku groaned again but then joined him. 

Tamaki, who was well and truly done with these journals, decided to take a little break instead. So, he stood up and started wandering around the library. _‘Maybe I can find something in here that is relevant to our search?’_ He thought to himself. 

Then he spotted Akihiko standing around in a corner and realized that he knew a whole bunch of things about ancient Egypt. And old things in general. Why not ask him? And so, Tamaki walked up to the older man and tapped him on his shoulder. 

Akihiko turned around. “Oh, hello Tamaki-kun! May I help you with anything?” He asked kindly. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, I actually have a question.” He said. “Go ahead.” Akihiko urged him. 

“What do you know about omelets?” Tamaki asked seriously. Akihiko, however, was slightly confused by his questions. “Omelets?” He asked, wanting to confirm that he had heard Tamaki correctly. 

Tamaki nodded. “Yeah! You know, old necklaces with like pictures of animals and stuff on them.” He clarified, and that was when realization hit him. “Oh, you mean amulets!” He said and Tamaki nodded. “Oh yeah! That’s what Iorin said they were called!” He exclaimed. 

“Well, I’m glad you asked.” Akihiko started. “Amulet, which originates from the Latin word amuletum, which basically means ‘object which protects a person from trouble’. It doesn’t necessarily need to be in the shape of a necklace, but that is one way they can look. It is believed that amulets protect their barer or owner from danger, such as curses, accidents, evil spirits and so on.” He explained. 

Tamaki nodded to show that he was listening. Though, he did start getting a bit distracted when Akihiko had kept talking about amulets for another five minutes. “Was that a good enough answer?” Akihiko soon asked, pulling Tamaki back from whatever daydream he had succumbed to. 

Tamaki smiled and nodded at him. “Oh yes, perfect! Thank you!” He said before he turned around and walked away before Akihiko could start talking again. “Any time!” Akihiko called out after him. 

Tamaki quickly made his way back to Iori, Riku and Ritsu’s journals after that. “You guys!” He exclaimed as he slammed his hands down on the table, startling both Iori and Riku, who now looked up at Tamaki wide-eyed. “What is it?” Riku asked after having recovered from the sudden appearance of Tamaki. 

“Listen to this!” Tamaki exclaimed. “The amulets we found, they’re used as a protection against danger, curses or evil spirits!” He said. Iori and Riku’s eyes both widened. “Do you think they would work against that spirit lady?” Riku asked and Tamaki shrugged. “No idea, but maybe it’s worth a shot? We could wear one each and see if she leaves us alone.” He suggested. 

Iori frowned. “I doubt it’s that simple. And anyway, she’s already stamped both me and Riku. Maybe it could help protect you, but we still need to find the mask.” He said. “How did you figure that out anyway?” He then asked, sounding a bit skeptical. 

Tamaki rolled his eyes. “I asked Akihiko, of course.” He said. “You asked Akihiko-san? How much did you tell him?” Riku asked worriedly. “Relax!” Tamaki exclaimed. “I only asked him what he knew about amulets! He was glad to give me an entire seminar about it.” He explained, making both Iori and Riku relax. 

“Okay, so now we know something about the amulets. But these journals seem to be a dead end. I don’t think we’re going to find much of anything in here.” Iori said and Riku nodded in agreement. “I think we need to go back into the study. Let’s bring the map this time and see if we can find anything.” He said. 

Riku and Tamaki nodded. “But what about Tsukumo? We can’t go in there as long as he is in the cellar.” Riku pointed out. “Then we just wait for the right moment, yeah?” Tamaki suggested and Iori nodded. “Yeah, for now we just have to wait for our chance.” He said. 

As it turns out, they did not get a chance to go down into the cellar that night. When they got back, it was time for dinner, and while they were eating, they could hear Tsukumo enter the cellar. He did not come out at all that night. 

The next morning was soon upon them, and Riku really hoped that they would find a chance to go back down into the cellar and Ritsu’s secret study that day. He knew the spirit was impatient, and he would really rather not see her again. He had a feeling maybe she would stay away if he did what he was told. 

And so, Riku kept an extra eye on Tsukumo and the cellar as he headed down for breakfast. He was amongst the last ones down that day, the only ones who were not there when he arrived was Tamaki and Yamato, which was not all that unusual. 

Those tow joined them a bit later though, making it so that all of the residents could have breakfast together that Sunday. Since they rarely had any schedule to follow on Sundays, it rarely happened that all ten of them ate breakfast together on that particular day. 

However, that was not the only thing that was slightly different that day. Tsumugi was acting a bit weird, almost as if she was distracted by something. In fact, she had been that way ever since last night and nobody knew why. 

So, when she joined them near the end of breakfast with a bittersweet smile on her face, the boys were all a little bit concerned. “Could I get your attention for a moment, please? I have an important announcement to make.” Tsumugi said, making all of the boys turn around and pay attention to her. 

Tsumugi took a deep breath. “So, I made a decision recently. It wasn’t easy, but I wanted to try this, so I hope you all will understand. I am leaving Anubis House.” She declared. 

“What?!” Everyone exclaimed in shock, all of them looking either surprised, confused or sad. “Why are you leaving? I thought you liked it here…” Gaku said. 

Tsumugi gave him a smile. “Of course! You know I love it here, and it’s not forever, I’m just taking a short break to try something different.” She clarified. “The other day, when I was helping cleaning up in the library after the bid, Akihiko-san, our curator, mentioned he needed an assistant to work with him on the exhibition, and I offered to take the job.” Tsumugi explained. 

Mitsuki raised an eyebrow at that. “You are going to be working with Akihiko on the exhibit?” He asked. Tsumugi nodded. “So you’re not leaving the school then?” Ryuu added and Tsumugi nodded again. 

“That’s right.” She said. “And I plan to return and keep working as a housemother here as soon as the exhibition closes down. But, for the next month or two, you are going to have to make do without me. I have already contacted the school, and they’re looking for a temporary replacement. Whoever that is should arrive really soon, so you won’t have to live here alone with grumpy old Tsukumo.” She assured them. 

Most of them laughed at that. “Oh, thank god for that.” Tamaki said. “Congratulations on getting the job! We will come visit you lots at the exhibition!” Nagi then declared, to which everyone agreed enthusiastically. 

Tsumugi smiled happily now. “That’s so sweet of you!” She exclaimed. “I am really looking forward to it, but I am also going to miss you guys a lot!” She said. “Promise you won’t let the new housemother replace me, will you?” She then asked jokingly with a wink at the end. 

Nagi fake-gasped as if she had just said something scandalous. “Replace you? We would never!” He said, after which everyone started laughing. 

“I’m glad I could finally tell you.” Tsumugi said, and everyone could tell that she already looked more relaxed and less distracted than before. “And we are all really happy for you. This is a great opportunity.” Ryuu said with one of his signature smiles. Everyone nodded in agreement. “Thank you so much.” Tsumugi said before leaving the room. 

Throughout that day, Riku, Iori and Tamaki stayed alert, waiting for any opportunity they might stumble upon to go back into the cellar. It seemed like they wouldn’t get one that day either at first, but then Tsukumo suddenly walked out of the attic and announced that he needed to head over to the school for a while. 

The three classmates all waited while looking out the window until he was so far gone that they could not see him anymore before they immediately wen to go get their stuff. The map of the tunnels and some torches. 

Then they met up in the kitchen, waited until Tsumugi left, which only took about five minutes, before opening and crawling through the oven. And soon, they were all stood in the cellar once more. “Okay, let’s hurry up and do this before Tsukumo returns.” Riku said. 

Iori and Tamaki nodded before they all made their way over to the bookshelf. Iori reached up and entered the combination into the panel at the top, then he took a step back just in time for it to open. 

The three friends walked inside and then waited for the door to close behind them. Only once it was fully closed again could they relax. “Okay, we made it inside okay. Now we don’t have to worry about being discovered until it’s time to leave.” Riku said. 

Iori nodded. “And if we are fast enough, we should be able to leave before Tsukumo returns. That way we won’t have to wait for him to leave the cellar again before going back out.” He said. “Oh yeah…” Tamaki said. “If he comes back while we’re still here, we’ll be kind of stuck.” He said, as if that thought had just now hit him. 

“It’s fine.” Riku said, mostly to keep himself calm. “We’ll figure something out if that happens. Worst case scenario is that we’ll be stuck in this room for a few hours. I mean, it’s not like anyone is going to guess we’re stuck in a secret study beneath the house.” He said and Tamaki groaned. “I should have brought snacks!” He exclaimed, making both Iori and Riku chuckle at his antics. 

“Instead of worrying about not bringing snacks,” Iori started. “Maybe we should start trying to find the entrance to the tunnels so that we avoid getting stuck here in the first place?” He suggested. 

Riku nodded and then started clearing away all the clutter that covered the desk so that they could use that space. Once that was done, he took out, unfolded, and spread out the map there. “Tamaki, can you go get the amulets from behind the picture? We might need them.” Riku then said. 

“Sure thing!” Tamaki responded while nodding. He then jogged over to the picture of Watanabe Ritsu that hung on the wall, removed it and rested it against the lower wall as he gathered up the amulets before returning the painting to where it had originally been. He then jogged back over to Iori, Riku and the desk and put the six amulets down on the wooden surface. 

“Here we go!” Tamaki exclaimed, gesturing proudly at the amulets. “Hey, look at this!” Iori said and pointed at the different rooms on the map. “On the map, there appear to be seven rooms, and each room has been assigned an Egyptian God or Goddess. The first one, which is also where we are now, is Thoth, the God of writing, magic, wisdom and the moon.” Iori started. 

“You’re right!” Riku exclaimed before Iori kept going. “The second one is Sobek, the God of crocodiles and the Nile. The third one is Neith, the Goddess of war and weaving. Then there is Sekhmet, the Goddess of the sun, war, destruction, plagues and medicine. There’s Hathor, Goddess of the sky, women, fertility and love. There’s Horus, the God of the sky, and finally there is Anubis, the God of death.” He explained. 

“And now, look at the amulets.” Iori the added. “The pictures representing the Gods on the map corresponds to the animals depicted on the amulets. There is an ibis for Thoth, a crocodile for Sobek, a spider for Neith, a lion for Sekhmet, a camel for Hathor and a falcon for Horus. The only one missing is Anubis, which I suppose would be represented by a jackal.” He said. 

“Couldn’t that be the mask then? The mask was shaped like a jackal, so maybe that’s the artifact representing the final room that is dedicated to Anubis?” Riku suggested. “That’s possible.” Iori said. 

Tamaki gulped. “Am I the only one who is slightly alarmed that there is a room dedicated to the God of death?” He asked. “There’s no point to worry about that when there is still such a long way there. Besides, it could also just mean that it’s the room that holds the Mask of Anubis.” Iori explained. 

Riku looked at the map, then at the amulets, then back at the map. “I’ve seen this bird symbol before…” He said. “You said that where we are now is represented on the map by the God Thoth, and this bird, the ibis, is representative of him?” He asked Iori, who nodded. 

That was when Riku realized where he recognized it from. “The bookshelf!” He exclaimed before he walked over to the upper right corner of the study, where a lone bookshelf stood against the wall. “Look, this bookshelf has the same symbol of a bird at the top, like the eights at the bookshelf that led to this room!” He said. 

Riku then walked back to the desk and the map. Iori leaned over the map as well and the two studied it together. “It fits. If that bookshelf is the entrance to the tunnels, it fits with where the entrance is marked on the map!” Iori said and Riku nodded enthusiastically. 

“Now we just have to find a way to open it… Did you see if there was another combination?” Iori asked. Riku shook his head. “Nope, I felt along the upper edge where the bird symbols were. I found nothing.” He said. 

As Iori and Riku kept looking at the map for answers, Tamaki recalled something. “Wait a minute… There’s a book on that bookshelf that also has the bird symbol on it!” He exclaimed, though it didn’t seem like Iori or Riku had heard him, they were too engrossed in their own world. 

Tamaki shrugged and decided to go check it out on his own. He remembered seeing the book when they were here last time. He had thought it was another journal, but when Iori said not all of them were journals, he had decided it was probably not one of the journals, seeing as it was the only book with a bird on it. 

When he walked up to the bookshelf now, he initially struggled to find it. But soon he saw it, close to the left side of the bookshelf on the second shelf from the top. “Maybe there’s something in here about how to keep going from here.” He wondered out loud as he tried to pull the book from the shelf. 

However, when Tamaki tried pulling it out, he found that the bottom part of the book was stuck to the shelf. Then there was a strange grinding and clinking noise, which made Iori and Riku turn around. “What did you do?!” They asked. Tamaki was about to answer, but that was when the bookshelf started spinning. 

Riku and Iori rushed over, but when they reached the bookshelf, it had completely turned around and they met with the wooden back of it. “Tamaki!” Riku called out. “Yotsuba-san, are you okay?” He asked. 

“I’m fine! I found the entrance!” He said, making Iori and Riku smile in unison. They were about to tell him to come back and show them how he did it when they heard Tamaki saying something from the other side. 

“Wait, something is happening!” He called out, sounding worried. “What’s wrong?” Riku called out in concern. But all they got in return was a scream, followed by a groan. “Tamaki! Tamaki! What’s going on?! What do you see in there?” Riku asked, now feeling really scared. 

“Nothing!” Tamaki called out. “There was a bright light and now I can’t see anything!” He said. Iori and Riku looked at each other in worry. “Boobytrap?” Iori asked. “Maybe.” Riku answered. 

“Hang in there, Yotsuba-san! We’re going to find a way to get you out!” Iori called out before both he and Riku started frantically looking around for any sort of handle, switch or button. 

Soon, Riku found a small button in the top left corner of the back of the shelf. He looked at Iori, who nodded as a way to tell him to go for it, then he pressed it. 

Iori and Riku backed away as the shelf started spinning again. And the moment it did, they could see Tamaki stumbling his way out, blinking rapidly as if that could get his sight back. Tamaki stumbled and Iori and Riku caught him. “There, we got you.” Iori said. 

They led him over to one of the armchairs and sat him down. “Are you okay?” Riku asked. “Well, apart from the fact that I can’t see, I’m great!” He exclaimed, he sounded a bit stressed about it, which was understandable. 

Riku and Iori were about to say something more when they heard a scratching sound, like that of an old recording having been started. Then there was a man’s voice coming from the painting of Watanabe Ritsu. 

_“To those who have trespassed where they do not belong, the beacon of light is your warning song. Your eyes shall not see, all shall be dark, until Ra completes his blazing arc.”_ Iori and Riku gave each other a knowing look, meanwhile, Tamaki was getting more and more antsy. “What does that mean? Am I going to stay blind?” He asked, and the other two could hear the oncoming panic in his voice. 

“Relax, I don’t think it’s permanent.” Iori said as he reached out and placed a hand on Tamaki’s knee, trying to calm him down. “How do you figure?” Tamaki asked. 

“That voice, which I assume belongs to Watanabe Ritsu, said all would be dark until Ra completes his blazing arc. Ra is the God of the sun, one of the most important deities in ancient Egypt. I think it means that you will be blind for a day.” Iori explained. 

Tamaki groaned, but both Iori and Riku could see that he had already relaxed considerably upon learning that it was not permanent. “So, I won’t see anything for 24 hours?” He asked. Iori and Riku nodded before they realized Tamaki couldn’t see them. “That appears to be the case.” Iori said. 

“It must have been some sort of boobytrap. To keep away the people who don’t deserve to enter the tunnels.” Riku said. “We need to find a way to get past that beam of light…” Iori added. 

Riku looked over at the painting of Ritsu then, as if the man himself could give him some answer. And once Riku saw it, it was as if Ritsu had given them to him. “Look!” He exclaimed, to which Tamaki only replied: “I can’t, remember?” 

Riku rolled his eyes and pulled on Iori’s sleeve. “Ritsu is wearing an amulet on the painting. Tamaki, didn’t you say that amulets were for protection?” He asked. 

Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, they protect you from curses and evil spirits.” He said. “And boobytraps?” Riku then asked. Finally, Iori understood what he was saying. “You think that if we wear an amulet, we’ll be safe from the beacon of light?” He asked. 

Riku nodded. “It’s worth a try, right?” He asked with a grin on his face. “I suppose.” Iori answered. “You guys try it out then. But hurry, this place is much creepier when you can’t see anything.” Tamaki said. 

“We’ll be right back.” Riku said seriously before he walked over to the desk, picked up two amulets, put one on and handed the other to Iori. The two then walked up to the bookshelf. “Here we go.” Riku said, taking a deep breath as he pulled the same book that Tamaki did earlier. The bookshelf started spinning and Iori and Riku entered. 

The two stood pressed against the bookshelf as it stopped spinning, and immediately the beacon of light appeared in the other end of the room. Riku reached out for Iori’s hand and gripped it hard. He couldn’t tell if it was he, Iori or both of them that was sweating so much, but he didn’t care at all in that moment. 

They both held their breaths and closed their eyes as the beacon of light started climbing higher and higher up their bodies. But the moment the light hit the amulets on their chests, there was a sound and the light disappeared. 

Riku opened his eyes and turned to Iori, a big smile on his face. “We did it! It worked!” He said as he threw his arms around Iori’s neck. Iori returned the embrace and laughed. However, they were brought back to reality by a sudden crash followed by Tamaki going. “Ouch!” From the other side of the bookshelf. 

Riku pulled away and looked shyly at Iori. “We should probably make sure Tamaki gets back upstairs before Tsukumo returns. We’ll have to come back later.” He said. Iori nodded in agreement. “Yeah, let’s go.” He said. 

They then pulled the book again, making the bookshelf spin back into the room. They grabbed Tamaki, then stuffed the map and the amulets down into Riku’s bag before leaving the study behind. Getting Tamaki out of the cellar through the oven was a bit of a struggle, but they managed to do it in the end. Now all they could do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! I hope you enjoyed this chapter ^^ I'll be back on Saturday with the next chapter, so stay tuned! Thank you for reading, and thanks to all of you who left kudos or comments! <3


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new housemother arrives and Iori and Riku have to deal with Tamaki's temporary blindness while the spirit keeps getting more impatient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm back with a chapter! I hope you will enjoy it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

_DING DONG_

Tsukumo bolted upright from his chair, suddenly startled awake. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and stretched his back. Falling asleep in his desk chair was really not something he should make a habit out of. He glanced at the clock, it read 5:32. What sane person rang the doorbell at someone’s house at 5:30 AM a Monday morning?! 

The bell chimed again, and Tsukumo decided it best to just take care of it. Maybe Tsumugi had just arrived for the morning and had forgotten her key. She had never been that careless before, and she also usually never arrived until 6 AM, but maybe she was a bit distracted with her new job at the exhibition. 

The bell chimed a third time, making Tsukumo groan. “Yeah, yeah! I’m coming!” He called out, praying to God that the students wouldn’t wake up from the commotion. He got enough of them during the day, no need to wake them up earlier than they needed to. 

Finally having made it downstairs, Tsukumo unlocked and opened the door and glared at whoever was standing outside. He really was not in the mood for visitors at this time in the morning. 

Once he opened the door, in came a woman. She was average in height and looked to be around his own age. She also looked like she was a foreigner, with pale skin, blonde, shoulder-length, straight hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a flower-patterned skirt that just about covered her knees and a light-yellow cardigan. She was also dragging a big bag behind her in one hand and held a dog with her other. 

Tsukumo did not recognize this woman, but his irritation seemed to melt away. He didn’t want to admit it, but she was quite pretty. He cleared his throat and then took a step back to observe her again. “And you are?” He asked. 

The woman smiled up at him. “Oh, my name is Vera Devenish. I’m the new housemother.” She said, holding out a hand for Tsukumo to shake. However, when she did so, the dog that had been perched on her arm fell to the floor, making a sounds that no living creature made upon hitting the floor. 

Tsukumo looked down at the dog. “It’s stuffed?” He asked. Vera smiled sheepishly. “Ah, yes. I have quite an interest in taxidermy. It all started with Dolores,” She said, gesturing to the dog. “I just couldn’t let her go after she died, so I simply didn’t. Does that bother you?” She asked. 

Tsukumo shook his head. “No, no, not at all. I am quite fascinated by taxidermy myself. If you’d like, I could show you my raven, Corbierre later.” He offered. Vera’s eyes widened in awe. “A raven? How magnificent.” She exclaimed. 

Tsukumo could already tell that Vera was going to be a fantastic addition to the House of Anubis. “I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Tsukumo Ryou and I am the caretaker of this house. I wish to welcome you here, only I was not aware that they had already found someone for the job. Tsumugi, the old housemother that is, was set to keep working here throughout the week, then leave on Saturday, which is the opening night for the exhibition.” He said. 

Vera smiled. “Yes, it was quite sudden. They only contacted me yesterday, saying I could start whenever I wanted this week. I figured the sooner, the better.” She said. 

Tsukumo nodded. “Yes, quite so.” He agreed. “I can’t help but see that you brought a bag. The old housemother lived at home, but do you wish to take up residence here?” He asked. 

Vera’s eyes widened and she nodded. “Yes, I was told that would not be a problem. I apologize if I’m wrong about that.” She said, sounding a bit worried. Tsukumo only shook her head. “Oh no, not at all! In fact, we just recently renovated the attic into a guestroom. If you’d follow me, I can take you there.” He said. 

Vera smiled at him. “That would be wonderful.” She said. “But please, do be a bit quiet.” Tsukumo reminded her. “The students are still sleeping.” He clarified. Vera nodded, then followed Tsukumo up the stairs. 

Later that morning, when the students started waking up and coming downstairs, the sight that awaited them was a bit different. Tsumugi was sat in the sofas in the living room instead of standing around the kitchen, and she looked a bit mopey. 

The second thing was their breakfast, which usually consisted of eggs, sandwiches, fruits, and drinks such as milk, juice, coffee, or tea. That was still all there, but there were also pancakes, syrup, granola, and yoghurt on the table today. On the weekends, Tsumugi would change it up a bit, but today was Monday, so there was no reason for all the extra food to be there. 

Riku, much like the others who were already in the kitchen, gaped in awe at the sight of the breakfast in front of them. And when, a few seconds later, a strange woman came out with a tea kettle, their confusion only grew. 

“Who are you?” Gaku asked. He probably had not meant to sound rude, but he sort of did anyway. It kind of brought Riku back to when he first arrived at Anubis House. The woman, however, did not seem to be offended at all and just kept smiling. “My name is Vera Devenish, and I am to be your new housemother.” She said. The boys all looked over at Tsumugi in unison, it had now become apparent why she appeared to be moping. “They found someone that quick?” Mitsuki asked. 

“Apparently. I would have been fine to stay here until Saturday, when the exhibition opens up. But, I guess I’ll be going over to Akihiko-san once I’ve given Vera a brief of everything that needs to be done around here. We’ll do that once you boys leave for school.” Tsumugi answered. 

The students all looked a bit sad to see her go so soon, but they understood the situation. It was probably good for her to be there and help with the preparations, so she must be relieved that they found someone so soon. Though, her sudden appearance didn’t leave Tsumugi much chance to adapt to the idea of someone taking her place. 

“Well, how about some breakfast?” Vera asked from where she was still stood holding the kettle. Riku and the others all turned back around, nodded and took their seats at the table. It became apparent that the only ones who weren’t there yet were Iori and Tamaki. 

“So, I hope you boys enjoy the food I have made. If there is anything I should know about allergies, likes and dislikes, as well as anything else that might be good to know, don’t hesitate to tell me, okay? I’m really looking forward to getting to know all of you.” She said, smiling down at them. 

Riku raised his hand then, and Very motioned for him to go on. “It’s got nothing to do with the food, but I’ve got pretty bad asthma, so mine and Nagi’s room needs to be cleaned a bit more often than the rest.” Riku informed her. 

Vera smiled understandingly and gave him a thumbs up. “Understood! Thank you for telling me… I didn’t catch your name?” She then said. Riku laughed awkwardly before introducing himself. “I’m Nanase Riku, a first year.” He said. Vera nodded and then the rest at the table continued to introduce themselves as well. 

Vera seemed like a kind person, so Riku and the others were pleased that whoever was taking over after Tsumugi didn’t seem like a bad person. Though, they all knew that she would never be able to fully replace Tsumugi. 

It was then that Iori and Tamaki stumbled into the room. Iori was holding onto Tamaki’s shoulders as he led him inside, and Tamaki was wearing a big pair of sunglasses to try and hide the fact that he was temporarily blind. Riku had to bite back a smile at the sight. 

“G-good morning.” Tamaki said and waved, hoping that none of the others would note his strange appearance. Iori led him over to his seat and pulled out the chair so that Tamaki could make his way in between the chair and the table without much difficulty. However, Tamaki didn’t wait for Iori to push the chair back in, so when he sat down, he completely missed the chair and landed right on the floor. 

Riku snorted and tried really hard to hide his laugh as Tamaki groaned before pushing himself up, smiling and laughing sheepishly. “I uhm… I meant to do that.” He said, making Iori facepalm. 

When Tamaki tried sitting down the second time, he managed to not land his butt on the floor, but he still didn’t hit his chair. Instead, he accidentally sat down on the lap of the person to his right, which just so happened to be Ryuu. 

This time, Riku failed to hold in his laughter, and he wasn’t the only one as the entire table started snickering. “Uhm, Tamaki-kun, while I don’t mind the close proximity, it is a bit difficult to eat like this.” Ryuu said, an awkward smile on his face that just made the others at the table laugh harder. 

Tamaki, who seemed to have realized his mistake, turned around and patted Ryuu’s face to make sure that he really had jut sat down on his lap. “Oh… Sorry.” Tamaki then excused himself and scooted to the side where his own chair was waiting. Iori then sighed and started putting food on Tamaki’s plate, which Tamaki grabbed for and stuffed in his mouth. 

The others, who must have caught onto the fact that Tamaki for some reason couldn’t see, were all watching him. “Uhm, Tamaki-kun, are you okay? What are you wearing?” Sougo asked. 

Tamaki put down the sandwich he had been eating. “Oh, you mean the glasses?” He asked and Sougo nodded. It became apparent to both Iori and Riku then that Tamaki hadn’t thought of an excuse to him being blind. Luckily, Iori was quickly able to come up with something. “He has an eye infection.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded enthusiastically. “Right! An eye infection! It’s fine though, I’ve had the same thing before and it usually get’s better after about a day.” He said. Iori and Riku could see that the others weren’t fully convinced, but apparently, they had decided to let the issue go for now, which was a huge relief. 

Throughout the day, Iori and Riku had to help Tamaki with pretty much everything. At least one of them made sure to follow him around whenever he went anywhere, they carried his stuff and even had to feed him in order to avoid disaster. It was a bit of a chore, but it could also be quite funny at times. 

Right now was not one of those times though. They had a ten-minute break between two classes and Tamaki had really needed to go to the bathroom. Riku had offered to go with him while Iori moved all of their stuff to their next class. So, that’s why Riku was now standing outside the toilet stalls, waiting for Tamaki while also listening to make sure he didn’t have any accidents and watching out for any other student that might enter and wonder what they were doing. 

“Rikkun, I can’t find the toilet paper!” Tamaki exclaimed. Riku sighed, before opening the door to the stall Tamaki was in. He tried with all his might to look away as he handed him some toilet paper. “Thanks!” Tamaki said as Riku left the stall and closed the door behind him. “No problem!” He called out. 

Soon, Tamaki was done and exited the stalls. Riku proceeded to help him over to the sink so that he could wash his hands. However, when Riku looked up into the mirror, he did not see the two of them, he saw the spirit. 

Riku gasped and took a frightened step back. “The darkness of his eyes must not delay you!” The spirit called out. She did not look happy. Riku whimpered in fear, and Tamaki turned to him in concern. “Rikkun, is something wrong?” He asked. Riku looked at him then, could Tamaki not hear her? It wasn’t surprising that he had not seen her, but she had just talked. Maybe Riku was the only one who could see her outside of dreams? 

“Find the mask!” The spirit exclaimed angrily from the mirror, making Riku snap his head back to her. He could now see that she was smirking. “Or pay the consequences.” She said before she started reaching out, her hand slowly coming out of the mirror and reaching for Tamaki. In her open palm, Riku could see the mark of Anubis, and it was glowing. She was going to mark Tamaki as well. 

Without really thinking, Riku pushed Tamaki out of the way. “Don’t!” He then yelled, confusing Tamaki further. In the mirror, the spirit retracted her hand and started laughing maniacally before she slowly faded away. Soon, the only image that could be seen was Riku’s frightened expression and Tamaki’s confused one. 

“Rikkun, what’s wrong?” He asked in concern. Riku shook his head and snapped out of it. For now, he didn’t want to worry Tamaki, he would tell him later when they got back to the house, Iori was with them and the three were alone. “Nothing! I just… there was a bug. A really big and disgusting bug! It was in the sink so we’re moving to another one. 

Tamaki’s face paled and he shuddered. “Ew… Thanks, Rikkun!” He said and obediently followed Riku to another sink before washing his hands. As they walked out, Riku could only pray that the spirit was patient enough to wait until tonight when Tamaki would get his vision back. 

The day had been tiring to say the least. Iori and Riku had been following Tamaki around all day and it had been more exhausting than they imagined. So, it was only once they got back from school and were all gathered in Iori and Tamaki’s room that they finally got a chance to breath out and relax. 

Thinking back on the day, Iori realized that Riku had been acting a bit odd, at least throughout the last few hours. Iori had no idea what happened, but the redhead had seemed troubled and distracted, and Iori had been too busy helping Tamaki to really notice. 

So, now that they were back, Iori finally turned to Riku, a concerned expression on his face, and asked him about it. “Hey, Riku… Are you okay? You’ve been a bit distracted.” He said. 

Riku looked up at him suddenly, almost as if he had startled him. Iori could tell he was forcing a smile onto his face, but once Riku saw that Iori noticed, he dropped it. “I saw the spirit again.” He admitted. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “The spirit that cursed us? When? Where?” He asked, and Tamaki had also become more alert, sitting up in his bed and turning his head in the direction where he thought Iori and Riku were. 

“Today, at school. Remember when I went with Tamaki to the bathroom? She was in one of the mirrors above the sinks.” Riku explained. Tamaki gasped. “Wait, was that what that was? There wasn’t a bug in the sink at all, was it?! It was this spirit lady!” He exclaimed. 

Riku nodded before he remembered that Tamaki still couldn’t see him. “Yeah, she reached out for you, that’s when I pushed you back and yelled ‘don’t’.” He explained. Tamaki’s jaw dropped in shock. “No way… Did I get cursed as well?!” He asked in a panic, feeling along his arms to see if he could feel any irregularities. 

“No, you didn’t get cursed, luckily.” Riku replied and Tamaki calmed down. “She basically told us to hurry up or pay the consequences.” Riku said, looking glum. He was really getting fed up with her pushing them around, but he also didn’t have the courage to stand up to her. Not when both his and Iori’s lives were at stake. 

Iori’s expression turned thoughtful and he hummed as he considered their options. “We need to go back down into the tunnels as soon as we can. We need to see what’s on the other side.” He said before turning to Riku. “In fact, we should go now. Tsukumo’s car wasn’t here when we arrived, so we could take this opportunity to sneak down.” Iori then added. 

Riku was clearly hesitant though, it was obvious from his expression. “But Tamaki still can’t see anything! Shouldn’t we wait until tonight at least? It’s only two or three hours left until his sight returns!” Riku exclaimed. 

Iori shook his head. “Based on what you said, the spirit is angry and impatient. If we’re not careful and disobeys her, she is undoubtedly going to curse Yotsuba-san as well. If we do what she says, maybe we won’t get anyone else cursed.” He argued. 

“But-” Riku started, for some reason he just really did not want to go down there right now. “It’s fine, Rikkun!” Tamaki interrupted. “I will be staying in here, so I’ll be fine. We need to find this mask as soon as possible, so you and Iorin should go back into the tunnels without me if I’m holding you back. Just promise you’ll tell me all about it when you come back, yeah?” He said. 

Riku still looked a bit reluctant, but now that both Iori and Tamaki thought it best to go now, he had to give in. Besides, he would much rather go alone with Iori now than see Tamaki getting cursed as well. It was already bad enough that he had dragged Iori with him into this mess. “Okay, you’re right.” He said. “Iori, let’s go.” 

After that, Iori and Riku left Tamaki behind in his and Iori’s bedroom. They headed into the kitchen, which was empty, much to their relief. After looking around, making sure the coast was clear, Riku pulled out his locket and used it to open the oven. The two then crawled through the dark space together until they reached the cellar. 

Carefully, Iori took an extra look around the room, just to make sure that they were really alone in there. When he concluded that they were alone, he exited into the main room and motioned for Riku to join him. 

The pair walked up to the bookshelf and entered the combination, after which the door opened, and they slipped through. Iori turned to Riku. “You are wearing your amulet, right?” He asked. Riku nodded and pulled it out from where it hung around his neck and under his shirt. “And you?” He asked. Iori did the same to show Riku his amulet. 

After they left the tunnels last time, they had decided to bring the amulets with them. The three boys had taken one each and now wore them whenever they could. The remaining three amulets they had hidden inside the hidden drawer under the dollhouse, the same place where they had found the map. 

Iori walked up to the bookshelf and placed a hand on the spine of the book that spun the bookshelf around, thus making it so that you could enter the tunnels. “Shall we?” He asked. 

Riku took a deep breath, then nodded. He reached out and took ahold of Iori’s hand as they both stood up against the bookshelf as it turned. Even though they had already tried the amulets and knew that they stopped the beacon of light, Riku could still feel his heart pounding in his chest. It was only once the light had turned off that he released the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. 

Riku sneaked a glance over at Iori, who was smiling at him, relieved. He must have been just as nervous as Riku. Riku returned the smile and squeezed his hand. “Okay, let’s check this place out.” He said and Iori nodded in agreement. 

What had previously been a nicely furnished room had now turned into a cold, dark tunnel. The study had been full of dust from years of neglect, but at least it had been a proper room. This was just a path with cold stone floor, dark walls and spiderwebs that clung to every inch of it. It was way creepier than any place they had encountered during their adventures before. 

The path led them onwards until they reached a dead end with a small alcove to the side. “Well, that was underwhelming. We moved ten meters, then hit a wall.” Iori said, all tension leaving his shoulders. 

Riku looked up at him and shrugged. “There has to be some sort of puzzle or clue to this. Like with everything else in this house.” He said and Iori nodded. 

In front of them there was a wall where the map said the path should continue onwards. Some sort of shape was drawn onto it. It was a hexagon drawn in gold on the black wall, and inside of it there were a whole lot of tiny triangles. At the very center of this shape, one of the triangles was hollowed out, as if you were supposed to insert something into it. 

Other than that, there was also the alcove to the right of the wall, which held nothing but a dusty and spiderweb-covered bookshelf with a few books on it. Unlike the bookshelves in the study, this one was not filled to the brim with books, only about five or six were placed on each shelf. 

But apart from the drawing on the wall and the bookshelf, there was nothing else to see in the small path they had walked from the study to the dead end. It wasn’t much to go on, but it was something to work with at least. 

“Okay,” Iori said, looking around the room before his eyes landed on Riku once more. “I have a guess.” He said. Riku raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to go on. “I bet if we insert something into that triangle-shaped hole in the wall, we’ll open it. It will be like using a key. And I bet we’ll find it in the bookshelf somewhere. This is still part of the hall of Thoth, the God of wisdom, just like the study.” Iori explained. 

“And if this place is dedicated to the God of wisdom, then it makes sense for the key to lie withing a bookshelf.” Riku exclaimed, an impressed smile on his face as he marveled over how fast his boyfriend had drawn those conclusions. “Let’s check the bookshelf out then.” Riku declared before dragging Iori over there using their still interlocked fingers. 

They tried to dust some of the worst spiderwebs and dust off the shelf and the books and then started inspecting both the books and the shelf itself. After a minute or so, Riku noticed something. “Iori, look!” He exclaimed and pointed at the shelf in the middle. It held five books, all with the same maroon spine. 

“What is it?” Iori asked. Riku dragged his hand over the five books’ spines. “All of these maroon books have a letter at the bottom of their spine. Like they are now, they spell out ‘SIRUT’.” Riku explained, but Iori didn’t seem to get it as he only furrowed his brows in response. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “It’s an anagram! If you switch the letters around, it spells ‘RITSU’.” Riku explained before showing just what he meant by reorganizing the books to spell out the name. Iori’s eyes widened as they heard some gears turning once the name was in place, but that was all. No clue, no key, no opening, nothing. 

“Maybe we have to spell out his full name?” Iori suggested. “See if there are any more of those maroon books!” He then exclaimed and started checking the top shelves while Riku immediately started searching the bottom ones. 

“I found two down here! ‘N’ and ‘E’!” Riku exclaimed before standing up and showing Iori the books. “And I have ‘A’ and ‘B’. If we put them together on the same shelf as ‘RITSU’…” Iori said before taking the two books from Riku and putting them on the shelf. “It now spells ‘NABE RITSU’” He finished. 

Riku nodded, and soon they heard the gears once more. However, just like last time, nothing happened. “So, now we’re only missing ‘WATA’.” He said. Iori nodded and then gave the bookshelf one more scan. “Well, they’re not here. Maybe in the study? There were loads of bookshelves in there.” Iori suggested. 

“Yeah, good thinking!” Riku exclaimed and then the two boys headed back through the tunnel and returned to the secret study. They spent about an hour going through all the books on the shelves in the room, but no luck. None of the four missing books were anywhere to be found. 

“What now?” Riku asked dejected. Iori thought for a while, then seemed to come up with something. “What about the Watanabe Library? All of the books in there were originally owned by the Watanabe family, so the ones we are looking for could be in there.” He suggested. 

Riku brightened up at that. “Yeah, that’s right!” He said. Iori gave him a reassuring smile. “We’ll find them, don’t worry. It’s late now, but we can go tomorrow! Besides, by then Yotsuba-san is bound to have his vision back and will be able to help us look.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like the best plan. Should we head back up then?” He asked and Iori nodded. However, as they reached the door leading back into the cellar, they stopped in their tracks. They could hear voices coming from outside. 

“Dammit, Tsukumo must have come back.” Iori said. Riku frowned. “It sounds like he’s talking to someone… Is there somebody else in the cellar?” He asked. Iori shrugged. “I don’t know. I wish we could see outside, it would be a lot easier.” He said. 

Right then, it was almost as if some supernatural force had heard them as a small piece of the wall in the back of the bookshelf leading out just sort of fell down onto the floor, revealing a small peephole made of glass. “Well, that’s convenient.” Riku said as he and Iori stared incredulously at the peephole that just appeared. 

Iori soon let go of his surprise and leaned in to see what was happening. “What do you see?” Riku asked curiously from behind him. “It’s Tsukumo and… Vera?” He said, though he sounded uncertain. “At least I think it’s her, she has her back to us.” He then clarified. 

Riku frowned. “What are they doing?” He asked. Iori turned around then and gave him an amused expression. “Tsukumo is showing her his collection of dead stuffed animals, and I think she’s into it.” He said. 

Riku gaped in disbelief. “No way, let me see!” He said, shoving Iori out of the way so that he could check it out as well. When he saw them, he couldn’t help but let out a giggle, after which Iori shushed him. “Shh! We don’t how soundproof this room is!” He said. 

Riku held back his laugh as he turned around. “Sorry.” He whispered. “But I think they are flirting.” He said, and even Iori had to try and hold his laughter in at that. The idea of Tsukumo, grumpy, stern and constantly irritated Tsukumo flirting was too amusing. 

The two boys took a step back and sat down in the brown leather sofa. There was not much for them to do now other than to wait for Tsukumo to leave. Riku sighed and leaned into Iori’s side, it wasn’t that often that the two of them got a chance to be alone like this after all, what with going to boarding school and all. There was usually at least one other person with them at all times. 

Iori smiled coyly and wrapped his arm around Riku’s shoulders, thus pulling the redhead in closer. However, Riku tensed up then as he heard a voice he recognized. _‘Watch the timepiece, Chosen One.’_

Iori looked over at him in concern. “Sorry, are you uncomfortable? I can move to the side if you’d like.” Iori offered in a panic. But Riku only looked up at him with sad eyes and shook his head. “No! Don’t move away… I just… I heard the spirit again.” Riku said as he pulled on the hem of Iori’s shirt to make sure he stayed. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “Just now?” He asked and Riku nodded. “She keeps telling me to watch the timepiece. I don’t know what that means.” He said. “It might just be her telling us to hurry up, don’t you think?” Iori suggested as he started stroking up ad down Riku’s arm. 

Riku nodded and leaned further into Iori’s side. “Yeah, you’re probably right. But we’re doing this as fast as we can, can’t she just leave us alone?” He complained, feeling close to tears suddenly. 

Iori leaned his head on top of Riku’s and inhaled the sweet scent of his hair. “It’s just like you said, we’re doing this as fast as we can. We can’t do more than that.” He said. “If it makes you feel better, we could try and head out early tomorrow morning. Then we could hit up the library before class starts.” He added. 

Riku sniffled and dried his unshed tears before nodding. “Yeah, let’s do that.” He said. Then he really let himself sink into the comforting warmth of Iori’s embrace, trying to use it as something to take his mind off the spirit, the mask and what they needed to do next. It felt so good that it almost worked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter finished! We got to introduce a new character today, Vera. What do you think of her? Do you think she'll be good or evil? Anyway, I'll be back on Wednesday with the next update, so I hope you're looking forward to that! Thank you for reading, and thank you to all of you who leave kudos or comments, they mean a lot to me! <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku, Iori and Tamaki look for the remaining books to solve the puzzle down in the tunnels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you guys will like this one! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can find me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

By the time Iori and Riku made it back out of the cellar, Tamaki’s vision had started coming back. It wasn’t fully back to normal, things were still a bit blurry, but it was slowly getting better and better. It took almost an hour after Iori and Riku’s return, but then it was finally back to how it used to be.

Iori and Riku explained to Tamaki what had happened. They told him about the tunnels, about the dead end, about needing some kind of key, about the books and how they needed to go to the library first thing tomorrow morning. Tamaki mostly just nodded along to their explanation. 

After that, it was getting quite late, so Riku soon left the room and headed up to his own. They all went to sleep, and the next morning soon arrived. It had been a bit of a struggle to get Tamaki out of bed as early as they needed to, but they had managed it in the end. 

When they got into the dining room to have breakfast, Vera was still preparing the food. Tamaki, who had been blind and thus had not been able to see yesterday’s food, had been in awe at the sight before him. Today’s breakfast appeared to be just as nice as the one they got yesterday. 

However, Tamaki did not get all that much time to appreciate the food, seeing as both Iori and Riku were a bit stressed and wanted to get going as soon as possible. And so, Tamaki quickly shuffled as much food as he could into his mouth before grumpily following Iori and Riku out of the house. 

Since the Watanabe Library was located a bit off to the side, it was almost ten minutes from the school building and almost 15 minutes from the House of Anubis, they would need a bit of time to get to and from the place. With how early they left, they should have around 45 minutes to look through the library before they had to leave. At least if they wanted to make it to school in time for their first class. 

45 minutes may seem like a long time, but when you had to look through an entire library, that was a lot. They hoped that, at the very least, the four books had been placed together so they wouldn’t have to look all over the place. 

When they reached the library, they were glad to find it unlocked, meaning somebody was already there. At least that meant that they wouldn’t have to break in, which was a relief. They knocked and then entered the building. Inside, they were greeted by both Akihiko and Tsumugi. “Oh, hello boys! What brings you here?” Tsumugi asked, clearly pleased by the visit. 

“Good morning, Akihiko-san, Tsumugi!” Riku greeted with a smile. “We wanted to stop by before school and see how you were doing!” He then said. They had decided not to tell anyone that they were taking books, now that the library was hosting the exhibition, everything in the room could be thought of as a part of the exhibition, and was thus not supposed to be removed. 

“That was thoughtful of you.” Tsumugi said with a kind smile. Even though she had been at the house only yesterday, it felt like it had been a long time since she quit. It was really nice to see her again. 

Looking around the room, Iori realized that the preparations for the exhibition were really coming along. “Wow, you’re making pretty good progress. Are the exhibits in all of these crates?” He asked, gesturing to the many wooden crates that littered the room. 

Akihiko nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! We’re taking inventory to make sure that everything got here alright, and then we’re organizing them into the displays!” He said, pointing at the many glass cases that stood in one corner of the room, undoubtedly to be placed around at different places around the library later. 

“Speaking of the exhibits, Iori, Riku, there’s something I would like to show you quickly!” Akihiko said, walking over to one end of the room and waving them over. Iori and Riku looked at each other in question but decided to follow him. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too long. Before they did follow him, they turned to Tamaki and told him to start looking. 

Akihiko led Iori and Riku over to one of the crates that had already been opened, probably one they had already started doing inventory of. He smirked at them before he put on a pair of gloves and reached into the crate. What he pulled out next stunned them both into silence. It was the Mask of Anubis. 

Both Iori and Riku’s eyes widened in awe as they stepped even closer to it. “You asked about it a while back, so I figured you would like to see it.” He said with a knowing smile. 

“It’s beautiful…” Riku said, staring wide-eyed at it. For some reason, he could not take his eyes away from it. Iori nodded in agreement. “So, this is the bronze replica that Watanabe Akiko made?” He asked. 

Akihiko nodded before putting it back in the crate. In doing so, he sort of snapped both of the boys out of their stupor. “Indeed, it is. The replica of the Mask of Anubis is one of the main attractions of this exhibition, so I’m thrilled to be able to see it in person.” He said. “I just thought you should see it, since you took the time and come here.” He then added, smiling kindly all the while. 

“Thank you, we really appreciate it.” Iori said, and he really meant it. This gave them a better idea what they were looking for, after all. Riku nodded, showing that he really appreciated it as well. 

After that, Akihiko went back to his work. For a moment, Iori and Riku just stood there, they had almost forgotten why they had come to the library in the first place. However, once they saw Tamaki over by one of the bookshelves, scanning the spines of the many books, they recalled it all. 

They turned to each other and gave one another a determined nod before they split up without a word to search different parts of the library. About half an hour later, Tamaki had found two of the books they needed, one of the ‘A’s and the ‘T’. Iori had also found one, the other ‘A’. Now, the only one that was missing was the book with a ‘W’ at the back. 

They had searched the entire first floor, and only had the smaller shelves on the second floor left. But they were also running out of time. They had to leave in about five minutes in order not to have to run to class. However, they were not willing to give up just yet, so they all made their way up the stairs and started scanning the second floor. 

However, the fourth book was nowhere to be found. Riku groaned. “What are we going to do? If we can’t find the last book, then it won’t even matter that we have all the other ones!” He exclaimed in desperation. 

“Maybe we just missed it? We could come back and look at lunch! Or after school?” Tamaki suggested, trying to keep his spirits up. “Or do you guys think it’s possible someone borrowed it? This place is a library after all, so maybe someone took it out.” Iori suggested, after having thought about it for a while. 

“If someone did borrow it,” Riku started. “It should be recorded! Do you think the book where they document what books are taken out and returned is still here?” He asked, having found new enthusiasm. 

“Akihiko-san!” Iori called out, gaining the older man’s attention. “What is it?” Akihiko called out in response. “Do you know if the book where they document which books are borrowed and returned is still around here? Could we look at it?” He asked. Akihiko pointed over at his desk. “Sure, you can! It’s over there on my desk.” He responded. 

Smiling at each other, Iori, Riku and Tamaki made their way down the stairs and over to the desk. They found the book almost immediately and opened it. “There!” Riku exclaimed and pointed at a title near the end of the list. “Look at the latest entry, it’s our book!” He said. 

“Wait, but didn’t this library close down in 1970? If someone took it out back then, are we ever going to find it?” Tamaki pointed out, looking troubled. “I don’t think we have to worry about that.” Iori pointed out. “Look here, it says that it was taken out earlier this year. It was before the library opened up again, which is a bit strange, but at least it wasn’t fifty years ago.” He explained. 

“It hasn’t been returned either… Who borrowed it?” Riku asked, looking over at the name. “AKBED?” He then read out loud in a questioning tone. “Who is AKBED?” He then asked again. 

“No idea.” Tamaki said, looking confused. Iori shrugged, he also seemed a bit confused. “I don’t know… Maybe it’s a penname of sorts? Or a codename.” He suggested. Riku nodded. “That might be it… So, now we need to find this AKBED?” He asked, and Tamaki and Iori nodded in reply. 

That was when Tsumugi came up to them and interrupted them. “You boys, while I really enjoy you being here and keeping us company, I believe your class starts in four minutes… Shouldn’t you get going?” She asked. 

The three looked at the clock, their eyes wide in panic. “You’re right! We have to go!” Iori exclaimed before he grabbed Riku’s hand and started dragging him outside, Tamaki following close behind. “Bye bye!” Tamaki called out as they left. 

The first class of the day was english, and when Iori, Riku and Tamaki stumbled into the classroom, completely flushed and out of breath, Anesagi Kaoru, their english teacher, glared at them. “You boys are late!” They declared, as if that wasn’t already obvious enough. 

“We know, we-” Iori started, trying to explain, but Anesagi wouldn’t have it, they only held up a finger to silence Iori. “I don’t care for excuses. Detention, all three of you! This afternoon after classes end, meet me in this classroom.” They said sternly, and the three could do nothing but nod and go to their desks. 

As they slowly but surely calmed down, Riku was still a bit too caught up in everything else that had happened that morning to really pay attention to class. Instead, he mostly just sat and looked around the room while daydreaming. 

At least, that is what he was doing until he noticed something. This was the designated english classroom, and Anesagi Kaoru was the school’s english teacher. It meant that some of their stuff was placed in the room, including some of their diploma, which were hung up on the wall next to the blackboard. 

Upon closer inspection Riku found what was stood on them awfully interesting. They were all signed ‘Anesagi Kaoru, Bachelor Education Degree’. If you took only the first letter in all of these, it spelled out ‘AKBED’ and Riku really did not think that was a coincidence. 

That was why he convinced Iori and Tamaki to stay with him in the classroom even after their class ended, saying he needed to finish some notes about what they missed that morning. Anesagi also left, asking them if they could stay until they returned a few minutes later. 

It was only then that Riku went up to the wall of diplomas. “Guys, look at this.” He said, pointing the named. “Anesagi Kaoru, Bachelor Education Degree.” Tamaki read, sounding a bit confused. “So what?” He then asked, not understanding what Riku meant. 

“Or AKBED! That’s what it says if you only take the first letters!” He exclaimed, and realization dawned on both Iori and Tamaki. “You think our english teacher is the one who borrowed the book?” Iori asked and Riku nodded. “If that’s the case, then couldn’t it be in here?” Tamaki asked. 

Everyone looked around the classroom briefly, then immediately started searching more thoroughly . They looked through the bookshelf and the cabinets, but they only found english textbooks and dictionaries. It was a few minutes later, while they were still looking, that Anesagi returned. “What are you doing?” They asked sternly. 

All three of them turned around startled and stared at their teacher. “Nothing?” Riku tried, but they could see that Anesagi didn’t buy it. So, Tamaki held up the first book he could find. “I was looking for a new book to read. Iorin says this is a real page turner.” He said seriously. 

Anesagi, however, only raised an eyebrow in response. “Yeah… That’s a dictionary, Yotsuba-kun.” They said. “Oh…” Tamaki said and slowly put the book down in defeat. 

That was when Riku, in an attempt to both get them out of trouble and to try and get the book they needed, came up with some other excuse, that wasn’t entirely incorrect. “We’re sorry, it’s just, earlier this morning we were at the Watanabe Library. That’s actually why we were late. Akihiko-san noticed that one of the books had been borrowed but not returned, and now he’s looking for it. All of the books are to be part of the exhibition, after all. He asked us to keep an eye out for it, so we were thinking of checking all the classrooms to see if we could find it.” He explained. 

Realization dawned on Anesagi’s face. “I see… Well, it’s very kind of you to help him look.” They said, but Riku and the others could see the guilty expression on their face, basically confirming what they already assumed. 

“As a matter of fact, I think I know where the book you are looking for might be.” Anesagi continued. “Tell you what, why don’t you three let this go and leave it to me? I’ll go find it and then return it to the library.” They said. 

Iori, Riku and Tamaki looked at one another, pleased to hear that. So, they nodded. “Would you? That’s really nice! It’s a load off our minds.” Iori said and Anesagi nodded before gesturing for them to get out of the classroom. 

The three boys then grabbed their bags and started leaving, but before they did, their teacher called out to them one more time. “Oh, but don’t think this gets you out of detention! I will see you this afternoon!” They declared. 

That afternoon, once Iori, Riku and Tamaki got out of detention, they hurried over to the library so that they could beat Anesagi there. They then hid and waited in the bushes outside while also keeping watch so that they could see when their english teacher arrived. 

It took about half an hour, then they saw Anesagi walking up to the library, a bag that was clearly weighted down by something hanging off of their right shoulder. “There they are!” Tamaki exclaimed and pointed at their teacher. “Do you think they have the book?” Riku asked, raising his head above the bushes to try and get a better view. 

Iori soon pulled Riku back down, scared that they would be discovered otherwise. “Let’s hope it’s in the bag.” He then said. Riku and Tamaki nodded in agreement. 

Once they had made sure that Anesagi had entered the library, they came out of their hiding place and sneaked up closer to the building. They wanted to be certain that their teacher left the book in the library so that they could take it afterwards. And so, they soon found themselves crouched by the window closest to the open door so that they could both watch what happened inside and hear what the people in there were saying. 

Once the three peeked inside, they frowned as they saw Anesagi talking to Tsukumo, who was there for some reason. The moment Anesagi pulled out the book from their bag, Iori, Riku and Tamaki focused on that. However, so was Tsukumo. 

“What is that?” He asked suspiciously. Anesagi glared up at him. “This,” They said, holding up the book. “Could have gotten me in trouble. I took it from here at the start of this year because YOU said we might need something like this to help us research the quest. I forgot I had it until someone reminded me that all books belonging to this library are part of the exhibition, and thus shouldn’t be removed.” They explained. 

Tsukumo huffed and crossed his arms over his chest before averting his gaze. He was clearly irritated to be on the receiving end of Anesagi’s complains. The english teacher then placed the book back on the shelf before turning back to Tsukumo. “I just came here to return the book.” They said, then they turned around and left. 

Once Anesagi had left, Iori, Riku and Tamaki had planned to enter the library and take the book. However, with Tsukumo still hovering around it, that was going to be a bit difficult. And much to their dismay, Tsukumo soon picked the book up, put it under his arm and started leaving. 

“No! We can’t let him take that book, we need it!” Riku exclaimed desperately. “We need to think of something, quick!” Iori agreed. It was Tamaki, however, that spotted a certain someone through the window and had an idea about what to do. 

The blue haired boy stood up, rushed into the library and started yelling. “Akihiko-san! Tsukumo is taking something he shouldn’t!” He practically screamed. Tsukumo stopped in his tracks, looked at Tamaki with wide-eyed irritation and then turned around to face Akihiko. “This is a library, is it not?! I simply wish to borrow a book!” Tsukumo exclaimed. 

Akihiko frowned. “I’m really sorry Tsukumo, but everything in this library is a part of the exhibition and must not be removed. You may still read the books, of course, but they must not leave this building.” He explained. 

Tamaki had trouble concealing his smile as he saw Tsukumo’s face practically turning red. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he saw smoke starting to come out of his ears. Still, the caretaker of Anubis House didn’t argue. He put the book back on the shelf and then angrily stomped out of the room. 

Akihiko sighed and then turned to Tamaki with an appreciative smile. “Thank you, Tamaki-kun. Good thing you were so observant!” He thanked the young man, who grinned up in response. “No worries! I was just passing by and happened to see it is all.” He said. 

Akihiko nodded and then he went back to his work. The moment he turned his back to Tamaki though, the blue-haired boy discreetly reached out, took the book and put it inside his school bag. He then quickly left the library. 

Outside, Riku and Iori were still waiting in the bushes. “You did it!” Riku exclaimed with a smile before high fiving Tamaki. “I just kind of went with the flow, but it worked! Now we have the final book and can finish the puzzle!” Tamaki replied. “Then let’s go back to the house.” Iori said. “The sooner we do this, the better.” 

“Wow… We’ve seen a lot of creepy things and places while searching for treasure in this house, but this takes the cake.” Tamaki said once he got his first proper look at the tunnels beyond Watanabe Ritsu’s secret study. It wasn’t the first time he had been in the tunnels, but it was the first time he had been there while being able to see more than the beam of light. 

That very night, the three members of Sibuna had found an opportunity to enter the cellar and the tunnels. They were really relieved that they could already place the remaining books on the shelf, seeing as the spirit lady did not seem to be very patient. 

They walked up to the bookshelf and then took out the final four books. Riku made some room on the shelf so that the last books could fit, then Iori placed ‘T’ and ‘A’ before ‘NABE’, and finally, Tamaki placed ‘W’ and ‘A’ at the very front. The books on the shelf now spelled out the full name ‘WATANABE RITSU’. 

They waited and the anticipation was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. A minute passed, nothing happened. But then there was a sound, like that of gears turning and floorboards creaking. Riku, Iori and Tamaki all whirled around and saw a hatch open up in the floor. And then a podium was slowly being pushed up through the hole in the ground. The podium stopped and so did the creaking sound. 

For a minute, they just stood there and stared in awe. Riku was the first one to pull himself together and walk up to the podium. On top of the podium, there was a cube. It looked sort of like a Rubiks cube, but all the squares were painted in gold instead of different colors. It appeared to be quite old, as the gold paint had started flake around the edges, revealing the black surface underneath. Also, Riku noted that on all the middle-squares, a small Anubis symbol was drawn, much like the tattoo that marked his own arm. 

Riku picked up the cube just as Iori and Tamaki pulled themselves together and joined him. “What is it?” Tamaki asked. “Some sort of cube… Do you think this is what we use to open the door?” Riku asked and turned to Iori. 

Iori took the cube from Riku and looked at the wall which blocked their path ahead. He frowned. “I don’t think so. Whatever needs to be inserted to open it is triangular, not square. Maybe the key is hidden inside the cube?” He suggested. 

“Give it here!” Tamaki exclaimed, wanting to try and see if he could get the cube open. He started to claw and pull at the edges, but nothing seemed to happen. “Maybe you’re supposed to solve it, sort of like a Rubiks cube?” Riku suggested, trying to be helpful. 

“How?” Tamaki asked. “All the squares are the same color! And besides, it doesn’t turn in any way. It’s just a solid cube.” He said, a dejected expression on his face. 

Iori took the cube back from Tamaki then and put it in his bag. “Well, we have what we came here for, the next piece of the puzzle. We are making progress, no matter how small it is. Just because the book puzzle didn’t lead us directly to the key, it did give us something. So, let’s go back for now and try to figure this cube out.” He said. 

Riku and Tamaki smiled at him then and nodded. “Yeah, we solved one riddle, and now we have a new one. It’s like last term! We just have to be patient and keep concentrating on the puzzle in front of us instead of everything that we haven’t reached yet!” Riku said. Then the three friends left the tunnels. 

It was quite late, really, Akihiko should have left Watanabe Library a few hours ago, just like Tsumugi had. The sun had gone down an hour ago. Or was it two? It was too easy to lose track of time in a building like the Watanabe Library. The moonlight was one of the only things illuminating the room, along with a couple of candles stood on the desk where Akihiko still had his work strewn about. 

That was when there was a sudden knock on the door, startling the poor museum curator. _‘Who would come here so late?’_ He thought to himself as he pushed his chair out and started for the door. When he opened the door, he was face to face with Vera Devenish, the new housemother at Anubis House. 

Frowning, Akihiko let her into the library. He had met Vera only a few days prior. When he had been trying to get in contact with ‘The Collector’, in order to try and help Iori and his friend to sort out the issue with the mark of Anubis, Vera was the one he had talked to. Akihiko believed she was some sort of assistant to The Collector, though he was not sure as she had never told him what she actually did or how she had come to know The Collector. 

Now, he did not know that much about her, but she made him feel uncertain, almost as if he had walked into something he shouldn’t. When he closed the door to the library, Vera quickly spun around and smiled up at him. But it wasn’t a warm and genuine smile, it was cold and calculated. 

“I suppose a thank you is in order.” Vera said, holding out her hand for him to shake. Akihiko took it out of courtesy. “Without your assistance, it would have been more difficult to land the job at Anubis House.” 

Akihiko gulped down his nerves before opening his mouth. “I can understand you asking me to place your application on the headmaster’s desk. I can even understand you asking me to recommend you for the job. But why did I have to get rid of the other applicants?” He asked, feeling troubled about what he had committed. 

Vera smiled up at him and patted his cheek. “It was just a precaution. I simply had to get that job. The Collector will be very pleased.” She said. 

“When do I get to meet him?” Akihiko asked pleadingly. “You said I could meet The Collector if I did this for you.” He added when she did not respond. 

Vera turned to him again, her smile was now gone, replaced by a frown. “I did not say that. I simply said it was a way for you to earn The Collector’s trust. Which you have, at least a bit of it. If you keep doing what you are told, I’m sure he will give you the answers you seek. Eventually.” She said, going back to her calculating expression. 

Akihiko shuddered. “He wants me to do more?” He asked and Vera blinked up at him, as if his question surprised her. “Why, of course! While your information about the children looking into amulets was intriguing, we are going to need more than that. Push them for more information! They trust you.” She said. 

Akihiko shook his head in disbelief. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore. If the prize for meeting The Collector is spying on and betraying Iori, then I will not do it! That boy is practically my nephew, he’s family. I will not go behind his back like this.” He stated. 

Vera didn’t seem concerned in the least, in fact, she merely rolled her eyes at him. “But if he is so important to you, you would not want anything to happen to him, would you?” She asked, giving him a cold look. “If I were you, I would do as The Collector asks.” She then added. 

Akihiko gulped. “Are you threatening me?” He asked in disbelief. If he knew that this was what The Collector wanted in return for information, then he never would have gotten in contact with him in the first place. 

Vera smirked and shook his head. “I am only informing you that if you don’t pull through, it could have consequences. I prefer to call it motivation, but you can make of it what you wish.” She said and turned her back to him. 

“We’re in no hurry.” Vera said as she started walking back towards the door. She stopped with a hand on the handle and turned her head to the side to glance at him. “For now.” She said. “That was all I came here to say. Goodnight, Akihiko-san.” She said, and then she exited, leaving Akihiko alone with his thoughts, his regrets and the moonlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is the mysterious Collector? What does it mean that Vera is working for him? And what will happen to Akihiko from now on? You'll just have to wait and find out! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll be back with a new one on Saturday! ^^ Thank you so much for reading! And an extra thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and comments, they mean so much to me! <3<3<3


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vera snoops around the house and Tamaki dreams about the spirit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone ^^ I am back with the next installment of this story. I hope you will enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk, contact me over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

It was currently Wednesday afternoon and Riku was walking back to the house with Iori and Tamaki. He had been fidgety all day, and he believed it all had to do with the quest and the tunnels. He knew the spirit lady was impatient, that if they got stuck on a task, she would come visit him, just like she had in the past.

Now, it was only yesterday that they found the cube, so it wasn’t that surprising that she had not come to remind them of what they needed to do yet. However, Riku had a sinking feeling that she could pop up any moment. The longer it took them to figure this out, the sooner she would appear. She scared Riku, so he really did not want to see her again. 

That was why he now turned to his two friends with concern written all over his face. “You guys, I think we should try and go back into the tunnels and figure out the cube as soon as possible.” He said. 

Iori and Tamaki gave him a look, a look that told him that they both agreed. “We should.” Iori said. “However,” added Iori, making Riku furrow his brows in question. “I don’t think it does you any good to go around and worry about us being too slow. We all know what is at stake and are working as hard and fast as we can because of it.” Said Iori. 

The raven-haired boy then reached out and placed a hand on Riku’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Riku smiled up at him, though Iori did not miss the note of sadness in his eyes. “I know that. I just wish that spirit would let us do it at our own pace! We’re already cursed, it’s not like we are going to stop and risk our own lives. I feel like I’m going to see her again behind every corner and it is exhausting!” Riku complained. 

Iori gave his boyfriend a sympathetic look, then he moved the hand that had been resting on Riku’s shoulder so that it was now wrapped around his side, thus pulling the redhead closer to him in some kind of embrace. Riku sighed contentedly and leaned his head on Iori’s shoulder. In response, Iori smiled fondly at him and leaned his own head on the Riku’s soft hair. 

“We will get through it. One way or another.” Iori promised and Riku nodded. The two then separated in favor of actually being able to keep up a decent pace as they walked back to the house. Although they still walked with mere inches between one another. 

Tamaki had been walking a little bit ahead of Iori and Riku since they slowed down to basically cuddle in the middle of the road. Not that he complained, he found it adorable, but it felt a bit private. Which was why he had kept walking. 

This was how he had ended up reaching the House of Anubis while Iori and Riku still had another 100 meters left. And when Tamaki looked inside, he smirked and thought back to what Riku had said earlier. He then walked out the door and smiled over at Iori and Riku, who were almost at the door now. “Rikkun, you said you wanted to go back to the tunnels as soon as possible, right?” He asked. 

Riku raised a brow in confusion but nodded nonetheless. “Yeah… Why?” He asked. Tamaki’s grin grew and he motioned for them to follow him into the house. Then he pointed at the cellar door and loudly said, “No time like the present!” 

When Iori and Riku looked, they saw that the cellar door was open, but they could also see Tsukumo upstairs in his office, working on something. Iori and Riku shrugged, since Tsukumo was clearly not in the cellar, and yet the door was open, they supposed it couldn’t hurt. They were on a time crunch after all. And so, that is why Iori and Riku swiftly followed Tamaki through the open door leading down into the cellar. 

However, what they didn’t notice was that just around the corner, inside the living room, was the new housemother, Vera Devenish. And she had clearly heard them go down into the cellar. In fact, she was the one who had opened the door in the first place. 

Vera had been asked by her employer, The Collector, to do some snooping around the house and report anything of interest. She had seen Tsukumo’s cellar that one time he had taken her down there to see his stuffed animals, and she knew there might be something of interest there. So, she had planned to enter under the guise of cleaning the room out, even though Tsukumo had not given her permission to be there without him. 

However, Tamaki had entered the house just as she was about to descend the stairs, which had caused her to hide in the living room. Now she knew they had gone there in her place and she did not intend to keep it to herself. 

Vera walked up the stairs and knocked on Tsukumo’s office, after which she peaked inside. “Hello, I’m sorry if I’m bother you, but I think some of the students might have gone down into the cellar.” She said, putting a concerned expression on her face. 

Tsukumo frowned and stood up. “Those brats never learn, do they?” He said, sounding irritated as he quickly made his way down the stairs. He stood in at the top of the stairs and called out to those who had gone down there. “Whoever has entered the cellar, you know it is forbidden!” Yelled Tsukumo as he started making his way down. 

Iori, Riku and Tamaki had just entered the code and opened the bookshelf into the study when they heard Tsukumo call out to them. They panicked and rushed inside the secret room, praying to whatever god that would listen to them that the bookshelf closed in time and that Tsukumo would not realize they were there. 

As it closed, the three friends pressed up against the wall, Iori looking out through the peephole while Riku and Tamaki pressed their ears to the door to try and hear what was going on. It was only a few seconds after the bookshelf had closed that Tsukumo came down into the cellar, closely followed by Vera. They both looked around in suspicion. 

Iori, Riku and Tamaki were all holding their breaths as Tsukumo and Vera looked around the room, the caretaker of the house occasionally calling out to see if anyone would respond. About five minutes later, Tsukumo decided that the cellar was empty after all. “False alarm, my dear. It seems we were lucky and no one got down here this time. Come on, let’s go back up and lock the door.” He said before ushering the woman out of the room. 

All three of the Sibuna members let out a sigh of relief simultaneously. “That was way too close.” Said Riku. Iori nodded. “We were hasty. We can’t try and solve this so fast that we become reckless.” He said. 

“Well, what do we do now? Do we continue into the tunnels or go back?” Tamaki soon asked. “I say we go back.” Declared Riku. “I know we need to figure this out as soon as we can, but if Tsukumo still suspects that someone went down here and notice the three of us missing, that could be bad.” He explained. 

Iori and Tamaki nodded in agreement, then they took one last look outside to see that the coast was clear. Once they had made sure nobody else was in the cellar, they opened the door and left the secret study behind before heading back up to the kitchen via the oven. 

Once they got out and saw that no one was around, they finally relaxed for real. Riku took out the cube from his bag. “We still need to figure out what to do with this. But I’ll keep it in my room for now. Hopefully, we can figure something out soon.” He said. 

However, unbeknownst to them, Vera had gone back to the living room. She had definitely heard some of the students go into the cellar, though she had no explanation for where they had gone from there. So, she had decided to wait and observe the door to see them come back out. 

She had been surprised to say the least when she heard voices from the kitchen. How had they gotten there? Did they leave the cellar in the small amount of time it took her to go and get Tsukumo? Either way, she knew they were up to something. And once she knew what, The Collector would be very pleased. 

In the end, the gang could not figure out what to do with the cube, or got a chance to go back into the tunnels that night. And so, they all separated and begrudgingly went to bed. 

Tamaki, however, had a restless sleep. He couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong. And then, all of a sudden he found himself being chased down the hallways of the House of Anubis by some weird lady in black and white who wore a fancy dress and a strange crown. He didn’t have to think very long to realize that the spirit lady that had cursed Iori and Riku was now coming for him as well. 

But Tamaki was determined that he could avoid her. He knew he was lazy, but when he wanted to, he was both strong, fast and had great endurance. Since she was a ghost, he already figured that he probably couldn’t fight her, which left him with running as the only option. And so, that is what Tamaki did. He ran through the house, hoping that she would tire and leave him alone after a while. 

In a way, it worked. She did get tired of chasing him around, but that did not make her stop. Instead, she waved her hands and made all the doors close and lock. Soon enough, Tamaki was cornered with nowhere to go. 

The spirit smirked and held out both of her hands, palm up, showcasing the glowing mark of Anubis that she wished to bestow onto him. Tamaki, not knowing what else to do, simply started screaming. 

And that was how he woke up. Sitting straight up in bed, sweat running down the back of his t-shirt and having slicked back his hair. All the while screaming at the top of his lungs. When he realized that he was in his bed and that the spirit was gone, he stopped. Though he was still breathing heavily. 

Iori was beside him, looking concerned and asking if he was okay. Tamaki didn’t answer, he was still processing what had happened. It only took a couple of seconds before the door to their bedroom flew open and the others entered. Tamaki blinked up at them in shock, his scream must have woken the entire house up. 

Tamaki gulped down his nerves, then tried to grin up at his housemates. “Sorry if I woke you.” Said Tamaki. “Nightmare.” He then added. The others asked if he was okay, to which Tamaki replied with a nod and a sheepish smile. Then they left one by one until the only ones in the room was Iori, Riku and himself. 

Riku sat down at the edge of Tamaki’s bed. He looked concerned. “Was it…” He started, then trailed off to take a deep breath. “Was it normal nightmare? Or was it, you know, the spirit?” Riku asked. 

Tamaki then noticed that it wasn’t only concern in Riku’s gaze. He was terrified. “S-she chased me through the house.” Tamaki responded. He saw no point in lying about it. 

Iori sighed. “Damn it. She came after you too then?” He asked. Tamaki could see that he was upset. Riku instead reached out for his arms and started pulling up his sleeves. “Did she touch you? Do you have the mark?” He asked worriedly, and Tamaki really couldn’t blame him. 

Tamaki shook his head. “I don’t think so. She hadn’t reached me yet when I woke up.” He said, but he did take off his shirt and rolled up the legs of his pants just to check that there wasn’t any mark somewhere on him. 

Riku released a breath of relief and then practically collapsed into a heap on Tamaki’s bed. “I’m so sorry, Tamaki.” Said Riku. “I’m sorry for dragging you into all of this.” He added. 

Tamaki shifted so that he was sitting closer to Riku, then he grinned down at him. It was the first genuine smile he had given since he had woken up from that horrid dream. “It’s fine. And you didn’t drag, I pushed. I wanted to be a part of this.” He said. Riku smiled back, and Tamaki could tell it was genuine. 

The next morning, Vera waited patiently for all of the students to leave the house. Once all of them had run off to school, she made sure that Tsukumo was busy in his office, then grabbed her cleaning supplies and walked up the stairs. Being the housemother provided the perfect cover should one of the brats return as she was snooping through their rooms. 

She had not been able to get the conversation she heard yesterday out of her head. She knew that Nanase Riku had said he would hide something in his room for now, and she was determined to find out what it was. The Collector would want her to snoop around. 

So, that’s why she entered the bedroom that belonged to Nagi and Riku. The fact that Riku himself had told her that it needed cleaning a bit more often due to his asthma also helped. No one would question it if they found her in there. 

“Now then, where do I start?” Vera said to herself. She grabbed her duster and started dusting of objects and surfaces in the room, looking behind things, under things, and inside boxes and drawers. She soon discovered that there was a cardboard box hidden in the deepest corner of the wardrobe. That indicated that it was something the two boys didn’t want anyone to find. 

Smiling to herself, Vera opened the box. Most of the content seemed rather insignificant, but there was one thing that caught her eye. A golden cube with what Vera assumed was some sort of hieroglyphic on it. The Collector had shown her something similar before, she just wasn’t sure exactly what it meant. Still, this was exactly what she had wanted to find. 

She quickly pulled out her phone, snapped a photo of the artifact and then sent it to her employer. She got a response a few minutes later, telling her that she was making good progress and to keep him updated. He did not ask her to bring the cube to him, which indicated that she could leave it with the children. 

However, Vera was awfully curious about the object. It was obviously worth quite a lot. Not that she could ask The Collector about it, he only ever told her what she needed to know. No more, no less. Although, she did have someone else she could go to. 

Having made up her mind, Vera quickly finished dusting the room. She then went to get her purse, where she put the cube, and headed out to the Watanabe Library. At the library, she found just the man she was looking for. 

Vera cornered Akihiko where nobody could overhear them, she then silently brought out the cube and held it out to him. Akihiko’s eyes widened. “What is that? Where did you get it?” He asked in awe as he gingerly took the artifact from Vera’s hands. 

Vera frowned. “I hoped you could tell me what it is. Where I found it is none of your concern.” She said. “Well,” started Akihiko. “I would need some time to analyze it and to do some research…” He admitted. 

Vera sighed. “The Collector wants to know as much about that as you can tell him. I’ll leave it with you for now, but I’ll be back in a few hours. By then, I want answers.” She said. 

She had lied about The Collector wanting information on the cube, he had probably figured out all of its secrets from that photo Vera sent him alone. That was the difference in skill between The Collector and Akihiko. Still, Vera had no choice but to turn to the curator now. Hopefully he could provide her with the answers she was sure The Collector would deny her. 

Akihiko looked a bit hesitant and his face had paled. Vera rolled her eyes internally. He really was a bit of a wimp. But a wimp with a thirst for knowledge. “I’ll try my best, but a few hours is not a very long time. I can’t guarantee how much I will be able to learn.” He admitted. 

Vera nodded. “Just tell me everything you come up with, and that will be that. I will see you later.” She said before she turned her back on him and left. Hopefully he would prove to be a little bit useful at least. 

It was currently lunch break, and Riku was speed walking to get back to the house. He had earlier discovered that he had forgotten his history textbook back in his bedroom, so now he needed to go get it. It was still thirty minutes left until the class started, but the headmaster wanted to make an announcement before the break was over, so he needed to be back in 20 minutes. 

When Riku got to his room, he quickly located the textbook. It lay on the desk, the same place where Riku had left it when he was finishing up his homework the previous day. However, there was something in the room that was not how Riku had left it. One of the doors to the wardrobe was open. 

Riku frowned. He suspected that Nagi had not gone back to the house, so why was the door open? _‘It’s probably nothing.’_ He told himself. However, just to be safe, Riku looked inside, picked out his box and opened it. And much to his dismay, he noticed that the cube they needed to advance through the tunnels was missing. 

In a panic, Riku quickly started looking through the bottom of the wardrobe, thinking maybe someone had knocked over the box, and maybe it had fallen out. But the cube was nowhere to be found. He also took a quick look around the room, but still found nothing. Had he forgotten to put it back last night? No, he remembered that he had to sneak it back as to not let Nagi see it. 

Riku was now starting to kind of freak out. Not knowing what else to do, he decided to go back to the school and tell Iori and Tamaki what had happened. Maybe one of them had taken it. Riku did not think either of them had a reason to do that, but that would at least be better than the other options he could think of. 

Once Riku reached the school, he immediately started making his way over to the auditorium, where the headmaster was supposed to give his announcement. It was still a few minutes left until then, but he knew that Iori would have gone over there already. 

When he got to the auditorium, Riku struggled to find his boyfriend. However, he soon spotted Tamaki, with his tall build and blue hair he was quite easy to spot in a crowd. Thinking that Iori was most certainly sat nearby, Riku walked over in that direction. 

When he got closer, he did see that Iori was sat to the right of Tamaki, and that he had saved another seat on his own right, presumably for Riku. They were sat on the left side of the auditorium, close to the front. 

Riku squeezed his way in between the bodies that stood in the way, and it was only once he had started making his way into the row of chairs that Iori and Tamaki noticed his arrival. They smiled and waved him over, but Riku was in no mood to be smiling. 

Riku sat down on Iori’s right side, then proceeded to lean over him so that he could talk to both Iori and Tamaki without the others in the auditorium hearing them. “We have a problem. Like, a really big problem.” Riku said seriously, instantly wiping the smiles off of both Iori and Tamaki’s faces. 

“Oh no, what’s wrong this time?” Tamaki asked. “It’s the cube.” Started Riku. “It’s missing.” He said. Iori’s eyes widened in shock, as did Tamaki’s. “Missing? How do you mean?” Iori asked in concern. 

“Missing, as in it’s not where I left it. I kept it in the same cardboard box where I store the things I got from Sara, and the box itself was tucked into one of the corners of mine and Nagi’s wardrobe. I put it in there last night, and I haven’t touched it since. Then, when I got back to my room to pick up my history textbook, one of the doors to the wardrobe was open. I checked inside, and the cube was not in the box anymore!” Riku explained. 

Iori frowned. “And you’re sure you didn’t move it? Or that it fell out or something?” He asked. Riku nodded. “Yes! I clearly remember putting it in the box, because I had to hide it from Nagi to do so. And I looked around in the wardrobe and the floor around it. Nothing. Also, I was the last to leave our room this morning, and I’m pretty sure the wardrobe was closed. What if someone took it?” Said Riku. 

“This is really bad, isn’t it?” Asked Tamaki. “Without the cube, how are we going to advance through the tunnels?” He then asked. Riku shook his head in response. “We can’t. Not until we find the cube.” He said. 

“And we will.” Declared Iori, placing a hand on Riku’s knee in reassurance. “We just have to find it. It’s still possible it’s in your room, so let’s look around there first. It’s also possible Nagi found it, so we could ask him. If there is still no sign of it, then let’s search Tsukumo’s office. If anyone did take it deliberately, it’s probably him.” Suggested Iori. 

Riku still looked a bit concerned, but he nodded in agreement nonetheless. “Okay, let’s do that.” He said. “Don’t worry, Rikkun! We’ll definitely find the cube!” Exclaimed Tamaki determinedly, making Riku give him a small smile. 

That was when Sousuke walked out onto the stage, so Iori, Riku and Tamaki had to stop talking for now. The headmaster straightened his lapels and cleared his throat before he looked out over the sea of students and started talking. 

“Right, I’m going to make this quick, as I am aware that you all have classes to go to after this. As you surely know by now, this Saturday is the opening night for the ‘Treasures of Egypt’ exhibition that is being hosted by our school. The exhibition will be staying at the Watanabe Library, and a small ceremony is to be held there Saturday afternoon.” The headmaster started explaining. 

“After that,” continued Sousuke. “There is going to be a party to celebrate its opening. It will be held here at the school, in the student lounge, much like the end of term party. It has been decided that the theme will be a masked ball, as requested by Gustav Ziestack himself. Attendance to the opening ceremony is mandatory, but the party is not. That being said, I do wish to see as many of you there as possible.” He continued. 

“More information will be given to you throughout the week.” Sousuke finally added. “That was all for me. Thank you.” He finished, which was followed by a round of applause. After that, the headmaster quickly departed the auditorium, and the students all started filing out of the room, making their way back to their respective classes. 

Iori, Riku and Tamaki were a little distracted as they left, to say the least. They couldn’t really think of the opening night or of the masked ball. They only knew that they had to get the cube back, one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? I hope you liked this chapter and are looking forward to the next one, which will be up on Wednesday! ^^ Thank you for reading, and an extra thank you to those of you who leave kudos and comments! <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iori, Riku and Tamaki look for their missing cube. Meanwhile, Tsukumo and Vera decides to team up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter, I hope you guys will like it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

School had just let out, and while Riku and Tamaki had gone back to the house to look through Riku’s room again, to see if the cube had not just happened to fall out, Iori was heading in a different direction. He wanted to help, more than anything, but he had an errand that he needed to run first. There were some papers he needed to bring over to Akihiko in the library.

And so, Iori hurried over to the library so that he could join Riku and Tamaki over at the house as soon as possible. When he first got there, he was greeted by Tsumugi, who was going around and dusting off the display cases. “Oh, Iori-san! What brings you here?” Asked Tsumugi cheerfully. 

Iori smiled politely at her before showing the papers. “The headmaster caught me in the hallway and wondered if I could deliver some papers to Akihiko-san. Where is he?” He asked. 

Tsumugi nodded understandingly and then pointed to a space further into the library, near the staircase. Iori recognized it as the place where the curator had set up a temporary “office”. (Though it was more like a table and a chair that had been placed in a corner where there would be no display cases.) “He is sitting over there, working on something.” Tsumugi then said. 

Iori smiled appreciatively and nodded. “Got it. Thank you.” He said before he walked over to where his old friend was sat. “Akihiko-san! Hello!” Iori called out, making Akihiko startle and look up from his work. When the older man saw who it was, he relaxed and smiled. “Ah, Iori! How nice to see you.” He said. 

Iori placed the papers on Akihiko’s desk. “The headmaster asked me to deliver these documents to you. They are-” Iori started to explain, but he trailed off as he caught sight of something very peculiar. Right there, on the desk in front of Akihiko, sat the cube that Riku said was missing. 

Iori was confused, and more than a little distressed. Why did Akihiko have their missing cube? He couldn’t be the one who had taken it, could he? Iori thought for a second that maybe this was a different cube. Similar, but still not their cube. However, everything was the same, the size, the symbol of Anubis, the flaking gold paint. _‘There has to be an explanation for this.’_ Thought Iori. 

Iori gulped down his nerves and then pointed at the cube. “Akihiko-san, what is that? And where did you get it?” He asked. 

Akihiko seemed confused at first, then he understood what Iori was talking about and almost turned defensive. “Oh, this?” He asked, holding up the cube. Iori nodded. “Well, I’m not entirely sure what it is. I found it lying around on the ground outside and thought it looked interesting. Why?” He asked. He couldn’t tell Iori about him working for Vera, not when she was practically threatening him. 

Iori sighed. _‘He found it on the ground? If so, then that means that he didn’t steal it after all.’_ Iori thought in relief. But then another thought hit him. _‘But if Akihiko-san did not take the cube, how did it get from the box in Riku’s room to the ground outside?’_ Still, the most important thing was that Iori had found the cube and could get it back. 

“Actually,” Iori started. “That cube belongs to a friend of mine, and he recently lost it. He’s been looking for it for a while now, and I wondered if I could have it back?” He said, holding out his hand as a gesture for Akihiko to hand over the cube. 

Akihiko’s eyes widened as he looked from Iori to the cube and back again. His expression then turned into one of guilt. _‘It belongs to one of Iori’s friends? Did Vera steal it?’_ He thought. Then he quickly schooled his expression and put on an apologetic smile. “Oh, I’m sorry. I did not know. Would you give it back for me then?” He asked, quickly handing the cube over to Iori. 

Iori took it and smiled down at Akihiko. “Thank you, Akihiko-san. I’m glad you found it at least. We were starting to get pretty worried. I’ll make sure this gets returned to its rightful owner.” Said Iori. He finally managed to relax, glad that he had managed to get the cube back, and also that it had not actually been Akihiko’s fault. 

Akihiko forced a smile onto his face, hoping that it was enough to seem genuine. “Don’t thank me, I only happened to pick it up! But maybe you should head out now, your friend will be relieved to get his cube back as soon as possible, I’ll bet.” He said. Akihiko was not entirely sure how he would explain to Vera why he did not have the cube anymore, but there was no way he could have held onto it when Iori told him the truth. 

Iori nodded before putting the cube in his bag. “I’ll do that.” He announced, and then he turned to leave. “Thanks again! Bye!” Iori exclaimed finally before he left the library to head back to the house. 

Iori rushed back to the house as fast as he could. Riku had already been really shaken up by not having been able to find the cube, and Iori suspected that it would only get worse the longer it took to get it back. And so, when he finally reached the house, he took a minute to catch his breath and then headed straight for Riku’s room. 

Iori didn’t bother to knock, he just threw the door open and quickly closed it behind him. In doing so, he accidentally startled both Riku and Tamaki, who were in the midst of searching the room. Riku had turned around, staring wide-eyed at Iori. Tamaki, who had been looking under the desk, had accidentally knocked the back of his head against the underside of the wooden desk. He was thus kneeling on the ground, groaning and clutching the back of his head. 

Riku visibly relaxed when he saw that it was just Iori who had entered. “Iori? You’re back already?” He asked, he had originally thought that it would have taken a bit longer. Frowning, Riku realized that Iori must have ran. _‘He did not need to do that… Though I’m happy he’s back’_ Thought Riku. 

Iori smiled and placed his bag on Riku’s bed before he stated digging through it. “You guys are not going to believe what I found.” He said. Tamaki perked up at that. “Oh, let me guess! Let me guess!” He exclaimed. Iori motioned for him to go ahead and try. 

“Was it… money? Or no, maybe it was something nerdy, like a book? That would have you excited.” He said. Iori only sighed and shook his head. Riku gave him an amused but also questioning look then. “What did you find?” He asked. 

This time, Iori smirked. He then reached into his bag and pulled out the golden cube. “Tada!” He said. 

Riku’s eyes widened in surprise and he quickly reached out and snatched the cube from Iori’s hand. He then continued to inspect it, as if making sure that it was actually their cube. He turned it around in his hands and stroked his fingers across the edges. Only once he was satisfied with his inspection and had concluded that this was indeed their cube did he look up at Iori, his smile bright and true. Then he threw himself into the raven-haired boy’s embrace. 

“You did it! You found it! Thank you, Iori!” Riku said, though it came out a bit muffled as he had his face pressed up against Iori’s shoulder. Iori smiled fondly and reciprocated the hug. When they pulled back, Riku gave Iori a knowing look. “That’s why you ran back.” He said. “You ran back because you found the cube.” 

Iori nodded. “I knew you would only worry more the longer it was missing, so I figured the sooner I got it to you, the better.” He said. Riku smiled even brighter. “Thank you.” He then said again, before leaning in and placing a quick and soft peck on Iori’s lips, which made the other boy so flustered his face matched Riku’s hair. 

That was when Tamaki walked closer, reminding the two that he was still in the room. This made Riku just as flustered as Iori had been. Tamaki didn’t seem to care though, as he only patted Iori’s back and smiled encouragingly. “Way to go, Iorin!” He praised. 

Riku took a step back, then looked back over at Iori, trying to ignore the slightly awkward atmosphere. “Where did you find this though?” He then asked, realizing that Iori still had not told them that. 

“Akihiko-san had it.” Iori said matter-of-factly. Riku’s eyes widened in shock. “Akihiko-san did? How? And why? Did he take it?” He asked in disbelief. Iori shook his head. “I thought the same thing first, but then he told me he just happened to find it and thought it seemed interesting. Which is very much like him, he can never resist something that looks that old and valuable.” Iori explained. 

Riku frowned. “Where did he say he found it?” He asked. Iori shrugged in response. “On the ground outside somewhere. He didn’t say where exactly.” He answered. “What, so he just happened to find it?” Tamaki asked and Iori nodded. 

“But he said he found it outside… How would it have gotten there in the first place? I haven’t brought it out even once since I put it away last night…” Riku said, feeling confused as to how exactly the cube had been moved from the box in his wardrobe to somewhere outside. 

“I don’t have an explanation for that either.” Iori admitted, looking a bit defeated. Tamaki was cheerful as ever though. “What does it matter? It’s back now, isn’t that the most important thing?” He asked. 

Iori and Riku both smiled up at him, thought their smiles were a bit bittersweet. They both wanted to know how it had happened, but they agreed that they had more important things to worry about at the moment than how the cube disappeared. “Now that we have it back, we really need to figure out what we are supposed to do with it.” Iori said. 

Riku nodded and looked down at the cube in his hands once more, then he sighed. “But I feel like we already tried everything! I just don’t know what we should do now!” He exclaimed, desperation written all over his face and voice. 

Tamaki frowned and grunted in annoyance. “Ugh, why does this have to be so hard?!” He exclaimed loudly, perhaps a little too loudly. Because at that moment, Tsukumo called out to them. “Stop making such a ruckus! Be quiet!” He said, startling them all. At least he had not entered the room. 

However, when he startled them with his yell, Riku took a step back and walked right into the table with Sara’s dollhouse on it. He gasped and lost his balance, having to reach out and take ahold of the dollhouse’s roof to steady himself. In doing so, two things happened. The first thing was that he dropped the cube and it hit the ground, resulting in it breaking apart into multiple smaller pieces. The second thing was that there was a sound coming from the dollhouse, and when Riku checked, one of the walls had cracked from his weight. 

“No!” He exclaimed, though he wasn’t sure whether to check on the cube or the dollhouse first. Had he really just destroyed the clue they needed to advance through the tunnels AND the dollhouse which might be of help to them? It had been an accident, but still… 

Iori quickly knelt to check on the cube. “How bad is it? Do you think you can fix it?” Riku asked in concern. For a moment, Iori only stared at the pieces. Then he scooped them up into his hands and showed them to Riku. “I think you may not have broken it. I think this might be what we were meant to do.” He said. 

Riku frowned. “Are you sure? Why do you think that?” He asked skeptically. “Because” started Iori. “I think these pieces can be put back together in another shape.” He said, making Riku even more confused. “What do you mean?” He asked. 

Iori was about to answer, but Tamaki, who had gone to check up on the dollhouse, beat him to it. “You want to try and put it back in the shape of a triangle, don’t you?” He asked. 

Iori looked up at his roommate and nodded. “Yes, if we do that, it should fit in the hole in the wall down in the tunnels. I think this is the key.” He said. “Good job remembering that.” Iori then praised Tamaki. 

But Tamaki was still staring at the dollhouse. “I didn’t remember it. At least not until I saw the dollhouse. Look!” He said and pointed at the wall where the wood had cracked. Iori and Riku gave each other a wondering look, and then they joined Tamaki. 

They gasped when they saw the state of the dollhouse’s wall. The crack had formed a triangle in the wall. “The dollhouse gave us another clue…” Riku said in awe and Tamaki nodded. “It would have been nice if it gave us that earlier though. I already figured it out.” Iori said with a frown. 

Riku only seemed excited though, as he tore his gaze away from the crack in the dollhouse and instead looked at Iori and Tamaki. “Let’s build this triangle, or pyramid, or whatever. Then we can go back into the tunnels and keep going tonight!” He declared. Tamaki and Iori nodded enthusiastically and then they got to work. 

There was a timid knock on the door, making Tsukumo look up from his work. On the other side of the door, he could see Vera, so he motioned for her to come in. Vera smiled politely upon entering, then she closed the door and sat down opposite Tsukumo. 

“I apologize if I came at a bad time?” She offered, smiling all the while. Tsukumo only shook his head. “Oh no, not at all. Did you need anything?” He asked, wanting to assure her that she was free to come to him with questions or other things that might be on her mind. 

Vera’s expression turned thoughtful then, and she nodded as a reply. “Yes, it’s about what happened the other day… with the cellar.” She clarified. Tsukumo frowned as he recalled what happened. “What about it?” He asked. 

“Well…” Started Vera. “I couldn’t help but overhear some of the students talking, and it seemed to me as if they were looking for something. I figured you should like to know.” She said. 

Tsukumo smiled at her, pleased with her decision to come to him. “Who did you hear?” He then asked, just to confirm his suspicion. “Oh, I believe it was three of the first years. Yotsuba Tamaki, Izumi Iori and Nanase Riku.” Vera answered. 

Tsukumo nodded thoughtfully. “Ah yes, those three did cause me quite a bit of trouble last term… You’re wise to keep an eye on those three. Also, a while back, I caught Izumi Iori and Nanase Riku sneaking around the library. Maybe that wasn’t a coincidence after all…” He wondered aloud. “You might be right that they are searching for something.” Tsukumo then admitted. 

Vera’s eyes widened slightly. “Really? What do you suppose it is that they are searching for?” She asked, now intrigued. Tsukumo, however, only shook his head. “I wouldn’t know. Although… there is something that I am looking for. It would not be all that shocking if they are looking for the same thing.” He admitted. 

“What are you searching for then?” Vera asked curiously, much to Tsukumo’s delight. He took his notebook, opened a page near the start and showed it to Vera. “I am searching for something called the Book of Isis. It is a collection of ancient Egyptian texts that are preserved just as they were in the past. It is said to hold many secrets, but two that especially interest me, the water of life, also known as the elixir, and the tears of gold.” He explained. 

Vera’s eyes widened and she could practically feel the saliva forming in her mouth at the thought. “Tears of gold, you say? That sounds… valuable.” She inquired. Tsukumo smiled smugly and nodded. “It does indeed.” He agreed. 

“Tell you what,” said Tsukumo, now looking directly into Vera’s eyes. “What?” She asked, still mesmerized by what these ‘tears of gold’ might be, and how rich they could make her. “Why don’t you and I work together? In the past, I was the only one here against those blasted kids. We could look for the Book of Isis together, and then share the profits.” Tsukumo suggested. 

Vera smiled, very pleased with that suggestion. She already had her own reasons for snooping around Anubis House, and she was not about to double-cross The Collector, but having Tsukumo on her side would make things a lot easier. Besides, the idea of the ‘tears of gold’ really spoke to her. She could not turn down this offer. 

“I’d like that very much” Vera said, smiling smugly back at Tsukumo, not averting her eyes for even a second. “We will make a great team.” She then said, reaching out and taking ahold of the caretaker’s hand. 

Tsukumo stiffened up and felt a strange sensation in his chest. He did not dislike it though, it excited him. He nodded. “Yes, we will have to be careful though, especially with those kids around. They are sneakier than you think.” He said. 

Vera smiled at him, as if she saw no problem with this. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an extra eye on them.” He said. Tsukumo nodded, very pleased with the outcome of her visit. They would find the Book of Isis together, and they would beat those brats to it. Finally, it felt like things were turning around for the better. 

After the three Sibuna members had made the discovery that the cube could be put together into a different shape, they had worked hard to try and make a triangular shape out of it. It took them a while, it was like a very difficult puzzle, but finally they had managed to put the pieces together to for a tiny pyramid. 

And later that night, Iori, Riku and Tamaki had waited up until they knew that Tsukumo had left the cellar. They had first considered to wait until the next day, but Riku had been adamant about going as soon as possible. In the end, Iori and Tamaki had given in and agreed to wait. 

Finally, a short while after eleven, they saw Tsukumo leave the cellar and head up to his office. Riku immediately nodded towards the kitchen, motioning for them to get going. They then quickly but quietly made their way into the kitchen, opened the oven with Riku’s locket, and sneaked down into the cellar. 

They made quick work of entering the combination and getting into Ritsu’s secret study. They all made sure to have their amulets, and once that was done, they entered the tunnels. It all looked just as it had when they left it, a dark path covered in spiderwebs, the now empty podium in the center, the bookshelf off to the side, and the wall that blocked their path ahead. 

Riku took a deep breath and then pulled out the now pyramid. He then looked over at Iori and Tamaki, as if asking for permission. Iori gave him a reassuring smile. “Are you ready to try this?” He asked. Riku smiled back, then nodded. 

The redhead slowly walked up to the wall that blocked their path. He then held up the pyramid, and already he could see that it would be a perfect fit. Riku, Iori and Tamaki all held their breaths in anticipation as Riku fit the small pyramid into the triangular hole in the wall. 

Once it was fully in, Riku took a deep breath and backed away from the wall. There was a creaking sound coming from all around them, and soon, much to their relief, the wall that blocked the path ahead started moving, opening and revealing the continuation of the tunnels. 

For a minute, they just stood there and watched. Of course, they were really happy and relieved to have figured out how to proceed, but they were also nervous about what awaited them now. “Well, should we continue?” Tamaki soon asked, breaking the silence. 

Iori and Riku looked at one another, then nodded before turning back to Tamaki. “Let’s go then.” Declared Riku, after which they all continued through the dark tunnels. They were all on edge as they made their way through the paths, watching out for anything that could be of importance, or that might pose a threat to them. 

Riku was clutching Iori’s hand in his own, using it both to make sure they never strayed far away from one another, but also to help keep himself calm. However, the further they got, the weirder it seemed that nothing happened. They didn’t see anything that looked like it could be part of a puzzle, in fact, it was just an empty, dark, and dusty tunnel. 

Or at least, that’s how it appeared. Because soon, the three friends all stopped in their tracks as they heard a strange sound coming from directly behind them. The sound was similar to what they had heard when the wall that blocked the path ahead opened, like the creaking of gears and something big and heavy scraping against the walls. 

They were all tense with nerves as they turned around to see what was making the sound. As they did turn around, they were both shocked and horrified to see that a portion of the ceiling between the wall they had just opened up and where they were stood now was slowly but surely sinking. 

For a few seconds, they were all so stunned that they just stood there in silence. Tamaki was the first to snap out of it. “Crap! Come on guys! We have to go back!” He exclaimed, which seemed to pull Iori and Riku out of their stupor. 

“What’s going on? When did the ceiling start to fall?!” Riku asked in fear as he watched the stone above their heads slowly descend. The ceiling, which was normally quite high, now only reached their shoulders. So, when the three reached the portion that was descending, they had to kneel down and crawl through the space. 

“I don’t know how, why, or when this happened, but it has to be another boobytrap! If we don’t hurry, it might lock us in these tunnels!” Iori exclaimed as they all frantically crawled to get back to where the ceiling was staying still at its normal height. “Or crush us!” Tamaki added with a fervor. 

Soon however, the three did make it safely out on the other side. They collapsed onto the ground and just breathed heavily, their bodies slowly becoming less tense now that they were no longer being crushed. When the ceiling reached the floor, it stayed completely still at first. This worried Riku and the others, as it could mean that they would not be able to go further. But, just a minute later, the creaking and the scratching sounds started again, and the ceiling slowly started to rise. 

Iori, Riku and Tamaki simultaneously let out a breath of relief as they realized it was not permanent. Still, they knew that this meant that they needed to find a way across without triggering the ceiling to fall down on them. 

Once the ceiling was back to how it had originally been, there was the sound of static coming from somewhere above them, followed by another message by the now familiar voice belonging to Watanabe Ritsu. _“Traverse the grid of step or hop, follow the sequence do not stop, all must complete the hopscotch test, before the ceiling stays at rest.”_

They all looked at one another. “Did I hear that correctly?” Tamaki asked. “Did he really say hopscotch? Do we actually just have to jump hopscotch across in order to get to the other side safely?” He then added, a smile starting to form on his lips. 

Iori frowned. “Well, he did say it was the ‘hopscotch test’, so yes, we do have to jump across. But do you really think it’s so simple?” He asked. “More importantly…” Riku said. “Don’t you need some sort grid or pattern for hopscotch? Where is it?” He asked, gesturing to the floor. 

Tamaki pointed at the floor underneath where the ceiling fell. “Can’t you see it? I mean, it’s not a traditional hopscotch grid, it looks more like a chessboard… But it is a grid.” He said. “I suppose I can kind of see it. It’s a bit difficult to make out since it’s dark and there’s dust on the ground.” Riku said. 

“Well,” Tamaki started. “We won’t know for sure how this works until we try. Who here is the best at hopscotch?” He then asked excitedly. Riku shook his head. “I’ve never played hopscotch before. Most games where you had move around were kind of off limits for me growing up…” He said, and neither Iori nor Tamaki missed the sad tones in his voice. 

“I’m not very good either.” Iori admitted. “It is a fairly simple game, but for some reason, I kept losing my balance when I did it as a kid.” He explained further. Tamaki only shrugged and grinned at that. “I guess that leaves me then. Don’t worry, I played lots of hopscotch when I grew up at the orphanage!” He declared proudly. 

Riku frowned. “What about the part that said, ‘all must complete the hopscotch test’? Doesn’t that mean that me and Iori has to do it too either way?” He asked. Once again, Tamaki shrugged. “I guess? Then you should watch and learn! I’ll show you how to properly do hopscotch!” He declared. 

Iori and Riku then took a step back as Tamaki got ready to traverse the grid on the floor in front of him. He took one last deep breath, and then he started jumping. He started on one leg, then he placed both feet on two different squares, then he was back on one foot. However, that was when the creaking, groaning and scratching started again, and soon the ceiling was descending once more. 

“Tamaki! Come back! Quick!” Riku called out in worry. Tamaki forgot all about continuing through the path, and quickly turned around and ran back. This time, he didn’t have to crawl, he simply had to duck near the end. 

They were all panting in agitation, even though Tamaki was the only one who had tried to go across. It wasn’t until the ceiling was back up again that they relaxed fully. “Okay, so simply hopping along according to the original pattern does not work. What now?” Tamaki then asked. 

Iori seemed thoughtful as he observed the grid-pattern on the floor. Then, he noticed something that he had not seen before. “I know!” He exclaimed, gaining both Riku and Tamaki’s attention. “What?” They both asked in unison. 

“The clue we heard said that we had to follow the sequence, but it didn’t say what sequence.” Iori pointed out. “Now, look closely at the grid on the floor.” Iori then added, pointing at the floor ahead of them. 

Tamaki and Riku complied and took a closer look. Only then did they see what Iori had discovered. “Animals! There are symbols of animals on each of the squares!” Tamaki exclaimed. “So, we have to find the right sequence before hopping across?” Riku suggested. 

Iori nodded. “At least, that’s what I think.” He said. Riku nodded. “Okay, so for now, I say we write down or draw what symbols are where across this grid. Then I think we should go back. We can come back to this again later.” He said. Both Iori and Tamaki agreed, and so that is what they did before, once again, leaving the tunnels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a new puzzle! Yay! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and I'll be back with the next one on Saturday! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments. <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang works hard to figure out the sequence for the hopscotch test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter, and I hope you all will like it! ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

The next morning, Tsukumo sighed as he painstakingly made his way down the stairs into the entranceway. Late last night, he had noticed that there were greasy handprints all over the grandfather clock that stood in the hallway. He had been too tired to do anything about it then, but now he dragged himself down to get it cleaned.

Most of the cleaning was usually done by Tsumugi, though Vera had taken over now, he supposed. He welcomed the change, even though he still found himself taken aback to see Vera standing in the kitchen instead of Tsumugi. There had been no problems with the young girl, in fact, he enjoyed her company far more than any of the students living in the house, but he and Vera had been able to connect in a way that he knew that he never could with Tsumugi. 

Anyway, while Vera was usually the one doing the cleaning now that Tsumugi had left, Tsukumo figured he had to do his part as well. And the grandfather clock was old, and it broke quite easily. It was one of the few things in the house that he tended to take care of himself. 

When he reached the clock, he gave it a once-over, trying to see how bad it was. He frowned, in the light of the morning sun, the handprints were way more visible than they had been in the dark last night. “Damn those children…” Tsukumo muttered to himself as he took up a rag and started cleaning the face of the clock. 

A few minutes later, Tsukumo heard a door open, followed by lowered voices. Normally, he might have ignored it, but ever since Vera talked to him, Tsukumo had been curious as to what the students were up to. And so, he instead hid behind the grandfather clock. 

The door that had opened had been the one that led into the room belonging to Izumi Iori and Yotsuba Tamaki. The two boys exited, and they were also followed by Nanase Riku. This did not come as a shock to Tsukumo, those three had always been sneaking around together. Whatever they were talking about, it was bound to be of interest to him. 

“But I don’t understand how we are supposed to know the right sequence! The riddle didn’t give us anything to go on!” Tsukumo heard Riku complain. _‘A sequence to what?’_ He wondered. 

“Maybe we should try going back into the tunnels. We could have easily missed something.” Stated Iori, which only served to confuse Tsukumo further. _‘Tunnels? What are they talking about?’_

After that, they got too far away for him to make out the exact words they were saying, but he did not bother to follow them further. This basically confirmed that they were up to something, and he would find out what it was, sooner or later. 

Thinking this, Tsukumo ventured into the kitchen, where he found Vera working on breakfast. He approached her and beckoned her closer. She complied and leaned in, sensing that Tsukumo would not want anyone else to hear. “You were right.” Was all Tsukumo said. 

Vera seemed confused at first, so Tsukumo had to clarify what he meant. “About the children. They are searching for something.” He said. Vera’s eyes widened. “It’s just like I said then?” She asked excitedly. 

Tsukumo nodded. “Yes. Although…” He said, looking both a bit troubled and very excited. “I have a feeling that this might be something much bigger than we originally expected.” He admitted. Vera turned very serious, showing that she understood the gravity of the situation. Then she nodded, letting Tsukumo know that whatever this entailed, she was fully in on it. 

After school had ended that same day, Riku had taken Iori and Tamaki with him to his own room so that they could discuss what to do next. They had wanted to go back into the cellar to see if they had missed something related to the sequence for the hopscotch test in the tunnels, but upon arriving, they had found that Tsukumo was already down there. 

However, working on the quest in Riku’s room was not always ideal, as they could be interrupted any minute. “If we don’t know when Nagicchi is going to come back, then why don’t we go to mine and Iorin’s room?” Tamaki asked after Riku and cautiously eyed the door for the fifth time since they got back. 

Riku sighed and nodded at the dollhouse. “Because your room does not have a magical dollhouse that could potentially give us clues. That’s why.” He said. Tamaki frowned. “This was a lot easier when we didn’t have to sneak around Nagicchi as well…” He complained. 

Riku frowned. “Well, I’d love it if he could help, but it’s bad enough that I already got Iori cursed! And we know that she has tried to come after you as well. I would much rather not risk getting more people than necessary involved. This isn’t like last term, if we don’t find this mask, a crazy ghost lady is actually going to kill us.” He said. 

“Hey!” Iori reprimanded. “First of all, you were not the one who got me cursed. You can’t keep blaming yourself for that. I knew the risk, and I still wanted to help you. Second of all, it’s possible that the spirit won’t come for Yotsuba-san as long as we keep making good progress. It seems like she only appears if she thinks we are taking too long, or if we do something wrong.” He pointed out. 

“I agree with Iorin!” Tamaki exclaimed, giving Riku a reassuring smile. Riku smiled back, albeit a bit forced. “Thanks guys, but you forget that we are well and truly stuck on the sequence. If we can’t figure this out soon, then she will definitely show up again.” He said, looking troubled as he did. 

“Well,” Iori started. “As far as we know, the correct sequence should be hinted at either in the riddle itself, somewhere in the tunnels, or we might receive some sort of clue from the dollhouse. We have already analyzed the clue, and we couldn’t find anything. We also can’t go back into the tunnels right now, since Tsukumo is in the cellar. So, that leaves us with the option to wait for something to happen with the dollhouse?” He asked. 

Riku nodded, though he did not look confident that they were doing the right thing. “It may be a long shot, but I can’t think of anything else until we can go back into the tunnels.” He said, averting his gaze to instead stare at the dollhouse with pleading eyes. “Sara, please, if you can hear me, give us something, anything.” He said. 

None of them really expected anything to happen just because they asked the dollhouse to give them the answer, so when the lights turned on inside the toy, they all startled. “Open it! Quick!” Riku demanded, after which Tamaki sprinted over there and opened the dollhouse. 

At first, nothing looked odd about it, it was just a normal, although lit up, dollhouse. Then, Iori gasped and pointed at the room that was supposed to be the entranceway. “Look at the floor, it’s the same pattern as in the tunnels, just without the animals!” He said. And sure enough, it was the same exact pattern. Not only that, the floor in the entranceway had, along with all the lamps, also lit up. 

Then, something almost magical happened. The grid on the floor remained alight, but from a few specific squares, the glowing symbol of an animal appeared. 

“Oh! Oh! Look at that!” Tamaki exclaimed excitedly. “Moo, baah, baah, woof, quack, quack… moew!” He exclaimed, earning weird looks from both Iori and Riku. 

“What was that?” Riku asked amused. Tamaki only shrugged. “It’s to remember the animals. Moo, baah, woof, quack, meow.” He said proudly. “So,” Iori started. “It was a cow first, then two sheep, a dog, two ducks, and finally a cat.” He said. 

“Does that fit in with the pattern in the tunnels?” Riku asked eagerly. Iori picked up his notebook and checked. “Yeah… We could definitely make a pattern out of that!” He exclaimed, making Riku smile. 

“That means we have the sequence. Now we just have to be sure that all of us can hop it before we go back. I have never done hopscotch, and Iori admitted to being bad at it. I say we should practice, at least a little bit.” Riku suggested. 

Tamaki nodded. “Sounds good to me! That way, we can hopefully avoid being crushed by the roof.” Iori nodded in agreement as well, and then pointed out something else. “And the dollhouse gave me an idea about how we could train. The floor in the dollhouse’s entranceway is not the only one that matched the grid from the tunnels. The actual entranceway does as well.” 

That night, once everyone had finished their dinner, Yamato had told them all to stay at the table while he went to pick up something. When he came back a minute later, he had a relatively big cardboard box with him that he placed on the table. Everyone was confused as to what could possibly be in it. 

“So, as you all know, tomorrow is the opening ceremony for the exhibition, ‘Treasures of Egypt’. As you surely also know, that will be followed by a party held at the school. Or more specifically, a masked ball, for some reason.” Yamato said and all the others nodded as they were already aware of this. 

“Well, today at lunch, I was talking to Momo-san and Yuki-san, you know, from the play we worked on last term?” He said and, once again, they all nodded knowingly. Tenn, despite not having worked on the play, worked with them on the bid and thus knew who they were. 

“Anyways, they asked what mask I was going to wear to the party, which confused me at first. But it is a masked ball, so maybe it shouldn’t have. Anyway, I didn’t have a mask, and I know I’m not the only one in this house who doesn’t, so Yuki-san and Momo-san gave me some masks that are used for costumes in the drama club. We can borrow one each if we’d like.” 

After having finished explaining, Yamato opened the box to reveal all kinds of different masks that the drama club had thrown together. Everyone stared in awe at them before they started digging through them, trying to find one they could borrow. 

Tamaki quickly found one mask that looked like Frankenstein’s monster, which he really wanted to wear. Sougo then tried to convince him to drop it and pick something that was more appropriate for the occasion. 

Riku didn’t have to look very long, as he soon found a wine-red classical mask that looked like it had come straight out of a fairytale. The kind that princesses sometimes wore to balls. It was complete with a gold rim, rhinestones, and a fluffy feather on top. 

Riku also found another mask that looked really similar to his own, but in a dark blue color. He immediately grabbed for it and turned to Iori, holding the blue mask out to him while covering his own face with the red one. “Iori look! We can match!” He exclaimed happily. 

Iori blushed, but still accepted the mask. “Does this mean we are going together?” He asked, making Riku blush as well. “Uhm… I kind of assumed we already were… Sorry If I was wrong?” He said shyly. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “Oh! No, you’re not necessarily wrong! I just… We never really talked about it… what with everything going on, the masked ball wasn’t exactly a priority for either of us.” He explained. 

Riku smiled sadly but nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I guess…” He said. But then he immediately perked up and smiled brightly. “Then I’m asking you now. Iori, do you want to be my date to the masked ball?” Riku asked. 

Iori could feel the blush returning, albeit not as strong as before. “I would like that, yeah.” He said, smiling smugly as he reached out and took ahold of Riku’s hand, making the redhead laugh fondly. 

They were soon interrupted though, by someone clearing their throat behind them. They both turned and saw an irritated looking Tenn standing there. “Do you mind? I’m trying to pass.” He said, glaring at Iori all the while. That was when Iori and Riku realized they were blocking the exit to the dining room. 

Iori gave a quiet apology before stepping aside. Tenn then turned to Riku, his expression now the total opposite of when he looked at Iori. “Could you help me with something real quick?” He asked. Riku nodded. Then Tenn took his brother’s hand, just like Iori had done before, making sure that the raven-haired boy saw it, and walked away. 

As it turned out, Tenn had been struggling with something he missed during their history classes last term and had wanted help with that. Riku figured that his brother was also too proud to ask anyone other than Riku. After that, they had also done a short video call with their Gran. Riku was happy to find that she was starting to get used to her temporary apartment while they fixed up her old one. 

Riku had also tried multiple times to talk to Tenn about Iori, but to no avail. Whenever the younger twin brought up the other boy or their relationship, Tenn simply averted his gaze and changed the subject. Riku sighed as he thought back to it. He still needed to talk to Tenn about what his problem was with Iori, but it was a bit difficult when Tenn refused to even acknowledge their relationship. 

So, when he and Tenn had finished what they needed to do, Riku had left in order to find Iori and Tamaki again. He knocked on the door to their bedroom and was glad to find them both inside. “Hey, are you done helping your brother now?” Iori asked, a small smile on his face. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, I figured that since it’s still not too late, maybe we could get started on that hopscotch practice?” He then suggested, making both Iori and Tamaki look at him funnily. “Now? What if someone sees us?” Tamaki asked. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “First of all, everyone has gone back to their rooms already, so we should be alone in the entranceway. Secondly, even if someone did see us, we’re just playing hopscotch. There’s no reason for them to believe that we’re doing it to advance through a set of secret tunnels under the house that will lead to an ancient Egyptian mythical mask.” He pointed out. 

Iori and Tamaki gave each other a look, then they both shrugged and stood up, getting ready to follow Riku out of the room to practice. They were stood in the hallway, which was empty, just like Riku had said it would be. They found a portion of the floor that was big enough to mirror the floor in the tunnels. Now that they were stood before it, it was clear that the pattern was the same, even if the squares up here lacked the animal symbols. 

“Okay, before we start, we need to figure out which squares are safe to step on.” Iori said, pulling out his notebook where they had a drawing of the floor in the tunnels, the one which had all of the animal symbols drawn onto it. 

“The sequence is moo, baah, woof, quack, meow. So, first up is the cow?” Tamaki asked. Iori rolled his eyes but still nodded. “Yes, except there is no cow on the first row, the cow first appears on the second row.” Said Iori. “So, then we need to jump over the first row and land on the cow on the second row?” Suggested Riku. 

Iori nodded. “Yes, that seems to be the case.” He agreed. “After the cow, there were two sheep, and you can see that the third row has two squares with sheep symbols on them. Though there is one square in between them.” He continued to explain. 

“So, after the cow, we use both feet to land on the two sheep squares on row three!” Exclaimed Tamaki. “The third symbol was a dog, so where’s the dog?” He then asked. 

Iori pointed near the left edge of the fourth row. “There we have the dog symbol, so that’s the one that comes next. After the dog, there were two duck, but the fifth row only has one duck, the next one is on the sixth row.” He explained, pointing at the two ducks as he did. 

Riku frowned. “Are we supposed to land on the duck at the same time or separately?” He asked. “Well,” started Iori. “When the symbols appeared in the dollhouse, they did so at the same time, so I’m guessing we’re supposed to land on the ducks at the same time, just like with the sheep.” He said. 

Riku and Tamaki nodded in unison. “And then, the last symbol is the cat. Now, there’s no cat on the seventh row, so from the duck, we will have to jump over the seventh row directly onto the eight and final row, where the cat is right in the middle.” Iori finished explaining. “Do you understand?” He then asked. 

“Yeah, cow on second row, two sheep on third row, dog on fourth, a duck on fifth and one on sixth, and finally cat in the middle of eighth row!” Tamaki exclaimed happily. Iori nodded. “That’s right. Riku?” He then turned to the redhead, who looked a bit uncertain. 

“I remember the sequence, it’s not that. I just… this is a bit more complicated than normal hopscotch. First of all, the squares aren’t super big, then there are rows we need to jump over, and if we misstep, the ceiling starts falling down.” Riku explained, sounding a bit worried. 

“And that’s why we are going to practice!” Exclaimed Tamaki. Then the three of them decided where each row began on the floor, and thus also which squares they were supposed to hit. 

“I’ll go first!” Tamaki declared, before he jumped on the designated squares. He completed it without falling, though he did slow down and became a bit unstable near the end. He then turned to Iori and Riku. 

“Okay, so the tricky part is getting to and from the ducks. The dog before them is farther away to the left, and because the ducks are on different rows, you have to jump diagonally. Then, when getting to the cat, you still have to jump diagonally, jump over an entire row, and then land on only one foot.” Tamaki explained. 

Iori and Riku nodded. “Okay, I guess I’ll go next then…” Iori said, putting his notebook on the floor. He then took a deep breath and jumped onto the cow square. He was a bit slower, and a bit wobblier than Tamaki, but it wasn’t until he got to the ducks that he had real trouble. He jumped, but only one of his feet landed on the correct tile. 

“Iorin, no! You’re supposed to land one square further to the left on the sixth row.” Tamaki corrected. Iori cursed under his breath, corrected his feet and then finished jumping the sequence. 

“You were right.” Iori admitted. “Both getting to and from the ducks is quite tricky.” He said. Tamaki nodded and grinned. “Right? Are going to be able to do that part?” He then asked. Iori frowned and shrugged. “I will just have to learn. We all have to pass to clear the test, so we don’t really have a choice.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded and then they turned around to Riku, who looked both eager and nervous to try for himself. “Okay, Rikkun, you saw how we did it, so just do the same thing!” Tamaki exclaimed and Riku nodded. “Oh, but don’t do the same mistake Iorin did!” Tamaki soon added, making Iori flustered and Riku laughed. 

He then started jumping, focusing more on getting it right than on doing it as fast as he could. He was able to jump to the ducks with more ease than Iori, but he was also taking it very slowly. Then, when he jumped to the cat, he lost his balance and started falling over. 

Iori noticed and rushed over to catch him, but in the end, he only managed to make Riku’s landing a bit softer. From off to the side, they could hear Tamaki laughing at their sorry state. Iori was laid down flat on his back while Riku was sat on his stomach, one leg on either side of his hips. They both groaned and tried to push themselves up, but instead they only realized just what position they were in. 

Both of their eyes widened and they were sporting similar blushes, both nearly as red as Riku’s hair. Riku gulped. “Uhm… Thanks…” He said, a sheepish smiled adorning his lips. 

Iori nodded and opened his mouth as if to say something, but whatever it was got caught in his throat. Instead he just sat there and stared into Riku’s eyes. They both still looked shocked, as if they were still trying to process it all. Them being so awkward just made Tamaki laugh even harder, which sort of snapped them out of their stupor. 

“Uhm… Could you maybe…?” Iori started, shifting beneath Riku and motioning for him to get off. Riku looked mortified as he realized he was still sat on top of Iori’s stomach, thus making it so that he could not get up. He felt a new rush of heat spread across his face as he nodded and quickly rolled off Iori. 

Iori was the first to stand up, closely followed by Riku. The two were now glaring at Tamaki, who was still laughing his ass off. It was a lot easier than looking at each other, which would just make them think of the embarrassing position they had just been in. 

Iori cleared his throat. “Come on, Yotsuba-san! We need to try again if we want to be able to clear the hopscotch test!” He exclaimed. Tamaki wiped some unshed tears from his eyes, then took a few deep breaths to collect himself before nodding. “Okay, let’s start again from the beginning!” 

The next day arrived quickly, and it was a blur of preparations. They would gather in the library for the opening ceremony first, then move over to the school’s cafeteria to have dinner, and then it was time for the party. 

Tsukumo was stressed about it to say the least. He had really been pushing everyone to get the exhibition, and now that they had it, he felt like they needed to do it perfectly. Thus, he had been in an extra irritable mood all day. And, as usual, the students living at Anubis House got the worst of it. 

On top of all the stress surrounding the opening ceremony and the masked ball, Iori, Tamaki and Riku had other things to think about. They had practiced all last night, and had even managed to get some practice in that morning. 

Tamaki could practically do it with his eyes closed by now. Riku had also improved a lot. He was still a bit slow, but he rarely got it wrong, though he did lose his balance from time to time. The problem was Iori. While he could definitely do it, every once in a while, he would use too much or too little force when jumping, thus landing on the wrong squares. 

Still, they knew that they needed to go back as soon as they could, that whatever practice they had managed to get would have to do. Now they just had to wait for the right moment to sneak back down. Hopefully, that would come sooner rather than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, the opening ceremony and the masked ball! I will post the next chapter on Wednesday, so stay tuned for that! Thank you for reading, and an extra thanks to all of you who left kudos and comments! <3


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the opening night for the Treasures of Egypt exhibition. Can Riku, Iori and Tamaki find an opportunity to do the hopscotch test amidst the festivities?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you guys will like it. ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

There were more people in the Watanabe Library than ever before. Almost the entire school had tried to fit into the building that was clearly not built to house that many. In fact, there was quite a few people who had been forced to wait outside for the simple reason that they did not fit inside.

The opening ceremony for the 'Treasures of Egypt' exhibition was about to start in just a few minutes. Gustav Ziestack and his colleagues had arrived and we're currently talking to Tsukumo, Sousuke and Akihiko about the preparations so far, as well as their hopes for the exhibit while it was hosted by Yaotome Academy. 

Iori and Riku had made their way up onto the second floor to escape the worst of the crowd, seeing as most of the people there were squeezing together on the first floor. The two were just standing there, talking while waiting for the actual event to start. And if the fact that the library was so crowded gave them the perfect excuse to stand much closer to one another, then no one bothered to point that out. 

Soon, Gustav cleared his throat, making everyone turn to him. It was time for the opening ceremony to start. "Welcome everyone, to the Treasures of Egypt wandering exhibition!" Exclaimed Gustav, earning a round of applause from everyone in the audience. 

"For the next couple of weeks, the exhibition is going to live here, in the Watanabe Library belonging to Yaotome Academy. And starting tomorrow, it is going to be open to the public! I hope that you, as students, especially use this as an opportunity to learn and be fascinated by the ancient Egyptians, for they have a lot to tell us yet. And what better way to learn, than from the voices perceived in this exhibition!" Gustav continued. 

"I'd like to thank Yaotome Sousuke and the rest of the staff here at Yaotome Academy for a most delightful welcome! I am so excited to keep working with you over the coming weeks!" Gustav said as he turned to the headmaster with a smile. "I also feel the utmost confidence that Akihiko-san, our curator, will do a wonderful job of taking care of this exhibition during its stay here at the school. We are honored to have him and everyone else who are working on this exhibit. Can I get a round of applause for our wonderful staff?" He then beckoned. 

The students and everyone else watching all complied, giving Gustav, Akihiko and the others a big applause. Riku nudged Iori and gave him a bright smile. He could tell that he was proud and happy for Akihiko. Iori returned the smile before turning back to watch Gustav. 

Once the applause died down, Gustav turned around and grabbed a big pair of metal scissors, most likely a pair that had been fetched from the art room. He then turned around to face the audience, as well as the thick, red ribbon that had been tied up before them. He lifted the scissors and smiled brightly. "With this, I am glad to announce that hereby, the Treasures of Egypt exhibition is open!" And with that, Gustav cut the ribbon, earning an even bigger and louder applause than earlier. 

Once the ribbon had been cut, some of the students and other attendees left. It was the only part of the night that had been obligatory after all. They were scheduled to stay in the library for another hour or so, just mingling and looking through the now uncovered exhibits. After that, they would all head over to the school, have some dinner and then it was time for the masked ball. 

Riku turned to Iori with a smile. "That was nice! We should try and find Akihiko-san sometime soon, I want to congratulate him!" He said. Iori nodded. "Yes, he has to be so excited that the exhibition is finally opening! He has really been looking forward to it." He said. 

"Before we go do that though…" Said Riku, smiling coyly while leaning in closer to Iori, looking up at him with big, doe-like eyes. "I'm excited about tonight. Won't it be like our first proper date since we got together?" Riku asked excitedly. 

Iori felt his cheeks heat up at their close proximity, but he ignored it in favor of returning his boyfriend's smile. "You are right." Said Iori. He then also took a step forward, closing the distance between them. Iori gently grabbed Riku's hand in his and brought his other hand up to rest at the back of his neck, playing with the short, soft and red strands of hair there. 

Riku felt the corners of his mouth twitch upward at the gesture. His heart was beating fast in his chest and he felt his stomach flutter. He never wanted to get tired of this feeling. So, without further ado, the redhead leaned in and closed the last distance between them, locking their lips together in a soft and sweet kiss. 

It sadly didn't last very long, as someone soon cleared their throat behind them, making them separate from one another. It wasn't anybody they recognized, just some random student wanting to pass, but it still pulled them back to reality nonetheless. And reality was that they were surrounded by people, which made them both blush as they realized what they had just been doing out in the open. It may have only been an innocent kiss, but it was still enough to make them both flush in embarrassment and take a small step away from one another. 

Iori cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the awkward atmosphere now surrounding them. "There are a lot of people here…" He observed, making Riku chuckle self-consciously and nod in agreement. 

At least, that is what Riku was doing until he tensed up, looked out over the crowd and then eagerly looked back at Iori, as if he had realized something. "Iori, everyone is here right now!" He exclaimed, making Iori furrow his brows in confusion. "Yeah, I know… That was sort of what I was pointing out." He said. Riku rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant! If everyone is here, then that means that Anubis House is empty! We could go back there and do the hopscotch test!" He exclaimed. 

Iori's eyes widened in realization. "As in right now?" He asked and Riku nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, now! It's the perfect opportunity!" He said. Iori nodded. "Okay, yeah, let's do that! We need to find Yotsuba-san first though." He pointed out. 

Riku nodded and then the two went off to find their blue-haired friend. Tamaki quickly agreed once they had explained what they intended to do, and then the three discreetly left the Watanabe Library and headed for Anubis House. 

"And you are sure it is a good idea to do this already? I mean, we didn't have much time to practice hopping the correct sequence…" Iori said, sounding a bit unsure, as he, Tamaki and Riku made their way through the secret tunnels beneath Anubis House. 

"Well, yeah we could definitely use some more practice, but we're also dealing with threats from a very impatient ghost. We know that the ceiling doesn't come down all that fast, so we'll hopefully be okay even if we do mess up…" Riku said, though even he didn't sound all that sure. 

Swallowing his nerves, Iori nodded and kept making his way through the tunnels. Soon enough, they were all stood in front of the grid pattern that made up the hopscotch test. Since it was quite dark down in the tunnels, they had brought some lights with them that two of them would hold while the remaining person hopped across. 

As they stood there, looking out over the next test, Tamaki was suddenly hit by a thought. "By the way, why hopscotch? Why would Watanabe Ritsu make that one of the tests?" He asked. "Well…" started Riku, thinking about what could have compelled the man to include this particular test. "He did have a little girl. Sara might have enjoyed hopscotch." He suggested. 

"Oh, I see…" Said Tamaki. "No matter what reason he had to make it, we still have to cross it. Who feels compelled to go first?" Asked Iori a moment later. Riku turned to Tamaki and gave him a hopeful, yet apologetic smile. "Well, Tamaki is the best at doing hopscotch…" He said. 

Tamaki only rolled his eyes and took it as a compliment. "Well, if that's what you guys want, I don't mind going first. In fact, I'm willing to bet that I'm the only one feeling confident that I can do this on the first try." He said confidently. 

And so, Iori and Riku both grabbed a flashlight and shone it over the grid-pattern on the floor so that Tamaki could see where he was going. Tamaki then took a deep breath and bounced on his feet as he got ready, knowing that if he messed up, the ceiling would start coming down and they would have to start again, thus losing valuable time. 

"Okay, here I go." Tamaki declared as jumped out. "Moo!" He yelled, landing with one foot in the cow symbol on the second row. "Baah!" He exclaimed as he leapt from the cow onto the two sheep, placing one foot on each one. "Woof!" And onto the dog from there. "Quack!" He yelled, and smoothly landed on the ducks. "Meow!" He finally called out as he landed with one foot on the final square before making one final jump and landing safely on the other side. 

Tamaki turned around and smiled triumphantly at Iori and Riku. "I did it! That was a piece of cake!" He declared, grinning from ear to ear. "Maybe for you it was, but both of us have been struggling!" Riku called out, happy that Tamaki was able to cross without any real problems, yet nervous about having to cross as well. 

"So, who wants to go next?" Tamaki called out from the other side. Riku looked over at Iori. Neither were really keen on going, but seeing as they all had to pass in order to clear the task, they would both have to do it sooner or later. 

After a silent conversation between the two, they decided on who would go second. "I'll go!" Declared Riku before tossing his flashlight over to Tamaki so that he wouldn't have to carry it while hopping across. And also so that Tamaki would be able to shine a light on the grid-patterned floor. 

Riku tried to just breathe for a while in an attempt to calm his nerves. Iori saw that he was very tense and gave his right hand a light squeeze. "It's fine, you can do this. You improved a lot as we practiced." He said, trying to reassure the other. "Yeah, that's right, Rikkun! And just remember, moo, baah, woof, quack, meow!" Tamaki called from the other side. 

Riku nodded, a determined expression on his face. And then he started jumping. He landed on the cow and immediately stumbled, but was luckily able to quickly push ahead onto the two sheep. With both feet planted firmly on the ground, he managed to regain his balance. He breathed a sigh of relief. 

Riku continued onward and safely landed on the dog symbol. However, as he was leaping across to the two ducks, he landed a bit funnily, twisting his ankle and wincing in pain. Still, he managed to keep his balance even as he started doubling over. Just wanting to get it over with at this point, he jumped to the cat and then finally joined Tamaki on the other side. 

"Are you okay, Rikkun?" Tamaki asked worriedly as the redhead sat down on the ground and grabbed his ankle to assess the damage. "Yeah, just landed a bit weird when I got to the ducks. It's definitely not broken, and I don't even think I sprained it. I probably just twisted it, in which case it should start to feel better in a couple of minutes." He explained. 

"That's good to hear." Replied Tamaki with a smile. They could also see Iori visibly relax on the other side. "Well, now we've gotten two across, only one to go." The raven-haired boy said as he got ready to throw over his own flashlight. Tamaki caught that one as well and handed it over to Riku. 

The redhead smiled and thanked him before pushing himself up and testing how his ankle felt. It wasn't too bad, much to his relief. The pain was already subsiding. He then turned on the flashlight in his hands and shone it across the floor so that Iori could see all the symbols. 

Iori nodded at his two friends, showing that he was ready, and then he leapt out onto the grid. It was seemingly going pretty well, at least until he reached the dog. Iori accidentally used too much force. And hit the wall, thus losing his balance. To steady himself, he had to put his second foot down, and it landed on a different symbol. 

For a brief but tense moment, they all stood frozen. They were only broken out of their stupor by the sound of the ceiling starting its descent. With panic in their eyes, Riku and Tamaki motioned and yelled for Iori to go back. "You have to go back and start again! If you hurry up, you can get across correctly before the ceiling gets too low!" Tamaki yelled. Iori nodded and ran back across the floor. He didn't care where he stepped this time, the ceiling was already falling as it was. He then started to hop across the floor again, from the beginning. However, the ceiling was already so low that he had to bend over by the time he hit the sheep. 

Trying to ignore the constantly sinking ceiling, Iori continued ahead, Riku and Tamaki cheering him on from the other side. He hopped to the dog, this time without falling. He then jumped to the ducks, by which time he had to crouch down in order to fit in the tight space. He soon managed to make his way over to the cat, and then practically rolled over onto the other side. 

Iori was breathing hard as he lay there, but he had made it, despite having to do half of it while crouched down. The moment he did make it across, the ceiling stopped falling. Before, it had always sunk all the way onto the floor before rising, but this time, probably because they succeeded, it stopped and then started rising where it was, and once it was fully up, it sounded like something locked it in place, thus dissembling the trap. Now they should be able to cross without having to do the hopscotch every time. 

It was only once the ceiling was raised and still that the three boys were able to relax. Riku in turn threw himself at Iori, who was still laying on the ground, catching his breath. "You were amazing! That was so cool!" The redhead exclaimed as he grabbed onto his boyfriend's shoulders. 

Iori could practically feel the blush spreading across his cheeks, but he still wrapped his own arms around Riku's torso, reciprocating the hug. "I failed though…" He said, sounding a bit disappointed in himself. 

Riku pulled away, though only a few inches so that he could look Iori in the eyes. "Only at first! I would not have been able to get through that while crouching like you did! It was super cool!" He exclaimed, smiling brightly all the while. Then, to further prove his point, Riku leaned down and placed a small peck on Iori's lips. "I really did think you were super cool." He added, smiling fondly at the boy beneath him. 

Iori smiled back, finally he started feeling happy that they had all made it through in the end, and that they could now proceed. Though it might also have to do with the fact that he had an armful of the most adorable boy in the world, but who knows? 

Tamaki, who was standing off to the side and watching this exchange unfold, soon cleared his throat. "While this is adorable and I hate to interrupt, they will miss us at the dinner if we don't leave soon. And I would like to check out where this tunnel leads before we go." He said. 

Iori and Riku nodded and stood up, after which Iori continued to ask Riku how his foot felt. "It's fine, luckily I didn't sprain it, so it's already feeling a lot better." Riku answered. Once that was cleared up, the three continued through the tunnels. 

Or at least they did until they found another obstacle. "Wow! Stop!" Tamaki, who was walking in front of the others, yelled suddenly. When Iori and Riku caught up to him to see what blocked their path now, they were stunned into silence as they saw nothing but a big hole in the floor. Ahead of them, a portion of the floor was gone, revealing a dark hole that seemed to go on for ages. 

"Oh my God… how big is that hole?!" Riku asked in shock, his eyes still locked on the drop ahead of them. "It stretches out to the walls on either side of the path and I would guess it's around four meters long… That being said, I have absolutely no idea how deep it is, it seems to go on for ages." Answered Iori. 

"Let's try that theory, shall we?" Asked Tamaki, pulling out a small keychain flashlight from his pocket. "In movies and stuff, don't they drop something that gives off light into holes to tell how deep they are? Something about seeing how long it takes for it to hit the bottom." He said. 

Iori's eyes widened. "You're right, that is actually a really good idea." He said, making Tamaki grin brightly. "I have loads of good ideas!" He exclaimed. Iori rolled his eyes. "You have SOME good ideas. But I will admit that this is one of them." He said. Tamaki shrugged. "I'll take that." 

Tamaki then followed through with his idea and dropped the small light into the hole. They didn't see it hit the bottom, they only vaguely heard it. And it took quite long for it to do so. Iori gulped. "While I can't say for sure how deep this pit is, I do know that we don't want to fall down there." He announced, earning nods in agreement from the others. 

"There has got to be a way across…" Riku wondered out loud before he looked over the edge. "There, look!" He said, pointing down by the edge of the hole. "There is a small platform there, and it looks like there is one on the other side as well! Maybe we're meant to find some sort of bridge, balance it on the platforms and then cross?" He suggested. 

Iori nodded as he inspected the tiny platforms. "That seems likely… I don't see any bridge though…" He said, after which they all looked around their surroundings. Sure enough, there was no bridge, only engravings and pictures of different animals drawn on the walls. 

"We'll have to come back and keep looking later. Look at the time!" Riku said. Once they checked, they concluded that they needed to leave now if they were to make it back in time for the dinner to start. And so, in order to avoid suspicion, Iori, Riku and Tamaki left the tunnels and headed back towards the school. 

The three boys just managed to make it back to the school in time for the dinner to start, much to their relief. However, it seemed as if one person had noticed their absence. "Where have you been?" Tenn asked, his voice filled with suspicion and his eyes, which were trained on Iori, filled with contempt. 

Riku rolled his eyes and walked up to his brother. "We just had to go back to house real quick. There was something there we had to take care of, but it's all done now!" He said, not wanting to give away any more details. 

However, Tenn eyed Iori, it was clear he was not convinced. Riku sighed. "If it makes you feel better, Tamaki was with us all the time." He said. "I sure was!" The blue-haired boy exclaimed happily, making Tenn sigh, nod, and drop the issue. 

The four then headed into the cafeteria, where all the tables had been lined up and decorated. Iori and Riku tried to sneak off on their own, wanting this to actually be like a proper date. However, Tenn was adamantly following after them, and they couldn't very well chase him away from the table they had sat down at. Especially not when almost every other seat in the room was taken. 

And so, for the duration of the dinner, Tenn was practically a chaperone on Iori and Riku's date, commenting, coughing or simply glaring when he thought that the two got a bit too close. Riku tried to ignore his brother at first, but it soon became apparent that was not going very well. So, then he attempted to start conversations that both Iori and Tenn could easily join, hoping that maybe the two would start talking and clear up whatever prejudices they had against one another. 

The dinner soon ended, and Riku was a bit disappointed that Iori and Tenn had only ever acknowledged each other if it was absolutely necessary. Or to simply glare at each other. However , as they moved away from the cafeteria and into the lounge area, where the ball was being held, Tamaki came to their rescue. He practically dragged Tenn away, giving his two friends a wink as he did, signalling that they were finally free to be alone for a while. 

Riku sighed in relief and then turned to Iori. "I'm really sorry about my brother… I promise, he means well. He just has a… strange way to show it." He said, smiling apologetically. 

Iori shrugged and returned the smile. "It's fine. I mean, it's a bit annoying, but I get it. Besides, I suppose I could have tried to be a bit less hostile…" Iori admitted, making Riku chuckle. "I mean, my brother was the one who started it… but yeah, you could try and be a bit nicer." Said Riku. 

The two then walked off together, enjoying their time alone. However, it only lasted so long. It turns out that Tamaki was not very good at holding Tenn back, and after only 15 minutes apart, Tenn had once again joined them. The remainder of the evening went on like that. Riku and Iori continued to try and get away from Tenn, only for the older twin to find them time and time again. Soon, Riku had enough. 

"Okay, stop! Tenn-nii, you can't keep interfering like this! I get that you're only concerned, but this is none of your business!" Riku exclaimed. Tenn opened his mouth to argue, but Riku wouldn't have it. "No, I don't want to listen to you right now!" He said before walking off. Iori followed him, but Riku, being a bit in edge, snapped on him too. "It's fine, Iori! I just… just leave me alone for a bit!" And then he left. 

Riku walked around outside, hoping the chilly weather would help calm him down. He had never really been mad at his brother before, at least not while Tenn was there to argue. Riku had been angry with him a few times during the five years they were apart. 

By the time he had collected himself, Riku found himself standing outside the Watanabe Library. The building had been left unlocked and Tsumugi had stayed behind to watch over it so that if someone wanted to check the exhibition out, they could. Since he had not really gotten a good chance to check the final exhibition out earlier today, what with there being so many people around, Riku figured he could give it a quick once-over before heading back to the party. 

He greeted Tsumugi, chatted with her for a few minutes, and then started walking around. Every once in a while, he found himself stopping to take a closer look at one of the exhibits. One of these exhibits was a stone with hieroglyphics and pictures on them. Riku stared at it in awe, and one of the pictures in particular caught his eye. It was a drawing of a river, and the Egyptian people were using a crocodile as a bridge to get across. 

Immediately, Riku mind ventured back into the tunnels. _'There was a big crocodile carved into one of the walls near the big drop… What if that is our bridge?!'_ He thought. Thinking he had it all figured out, Riku said goodbye to Tsumugi and made his way back to the school. 

When he got there, the first person he ran into was Tamaki, much to his delight. "Tamaki! I was looking for you! Do you know where Iori is?" Riku asked excitedly. Tamaki nodded, though he looked a little bit concerned. "Iori is still at the party. But Rikkun, after you left, he and Tenten-" He started, but Riku interrupted him. 

"Great! We need to go back to the house! I think I know where to find the bridge to cross the gap!" Riku explained, and then, before Tamaki had any chance to say or do anything, he ran off to find Iori. 

When he reached the lounge however, he got quite a shock. "I never even loved your brother, and think we should break up!" Iori yelled while glaring angrily at Tenn. Riku stopped in his tracks and stared wide-eyed at the scene before him. "Iori…?" Riku weakly questioned as all his thoughts about the bridge melted away, only to be replaced by a stabbing pain in his chest. 

Iori and Tenn both whipped around and saw Riku standing in the opening, eyes wide and filled with tears and sorrow. Iori's expression immediately warped into one of worry, realization and shame. "Riku, wait!" He called out, but it was too late. Riku had already turned around and run away, tears running freely down his cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, okay, I'm sorry for the pain I may have caused you with this chapter... Maybe it will all be resolved in the next one? Or maybe not, we'll see. I'll be back with THAT chapter on Saturday, so stay tuned! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After having overheard Iori's exclamation, Riku rushes back to the house. Can Iori solve the situation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'm sorry about how I ended that last chapter... But! Now I'm back with a new chapter. I hope you likeit! If you have any questions or want to talk, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Iori watched in horror as Riku, hurt by what he had heard, ran away. Iori wanted nothing but to run after him and explain that it was all just a big misunderstanding, that Iori hadn't meant what he said, at least not how Riku had most likely understood it.

However, when he tried to leave, Iori was abruptly stopped by someone grabbing ahold of his arm. He turned around and glared, only to see Tenn glaring back at him just as angrily. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Iori said. 

Tenn raised an eyebrow. "You are the one who hurt him just now, I doubt he would want to see you. Don't you think maybe you should just leave him alone?" He asked, still glaring. 

Iori shook his head and scoffed. "Oh really? This is just as much your fault as it is mine! Besides, I didn't mean that, and you know it! I also would never have said that if you hadn't provoked me!" Iori replied,thinking back to what happened before Riku arrived. 

After Tenn's constant presence had proved too much for Riku and the redhead stormed off, Iori and Tenn had soon started to argue. It started off tame enough, but quickly escalated into something more serious. And after growing tired of the older twin's contempt, Iori had made the exclamation that Riku had heard. Although, he had not heard all of it. 

"I don't know what it is you want me to do! Do you want me to lie to you? Is that it? Do you want me to tell you that I never even loved your brother, and think that we should break up?" 

Iori cringed just thinking about it. He had not noticed when Riku had returned to the party, but judging from his hurt expression, he had not heard the first part. Iori needed to explain himself, to apologize and make sure Riku knew that it wasn't what he thought. He would do all that, if only Tenn would let go of his arm first. 

Iori was just about to start another argument with Tenn in order to get him to let him go. Luckily, he didn't need to as Tamaki intervened. "Tenten, come on. I get that you are just concerned about Rikkun, if Aya came up to me and announced she suddenly got a boyfriend while I was gone, I would have been upset too. But if you take it too far, you are only going to hurt everyone. At least let Iorin go and apologize." Tamaki said, trying to appeal to Tenn. 

Much to Iori's surprise, Tenn scoffed but let Iori go. "Fine." Tenn said, scowling and turning his back on the other two. He then gave Iori one final glare. "This does not mean I approve of you being with Riku, it just means that I recognize that it was a misunderstanding on Riku's part and that you should be allowed to explain yourself." He said before walking away. 

For a minute, Iori just stared in shock at Tenn's retreating back, then over at Tamaki, then back at Tenn. However, it didn't take long for him to pull himself together and remember what he needed to do. "Thank you, Yotsuba-san." He said as he turned over to Tamaki, who smiled and nodded. 

"I need to go find Riku, do you know where he went?" Iori asked as both he and Tamaki started making their way away from the party. "Maybe he went back to the house?" Tamaki suggested. Iori raised an eyebrow in question. "You think so? You don't think he went somewhere more nearby?" He asked. 

That was when Tamaki was struck by a realization. "Yeah, Rikkun definitely went back to the house." He said. Tamaki then stopped and gave Iori a slightly concerned look, a look that unnerved the other boy. "What do you mean?" He asked. 

"Well, when Rikkun returned, he told me he found something, that he needed to tell you about it." Tamaki started. "He thought he had figured out a way to cross the gap down in the tunnels. I don't know what he figured out though." He explained. 

Iori's eyes widened. "Do you think he went back into the tunnels by himself?! What if something happens? We already know that there are traps down there, no one should enter by themselves!" He exclaimed, clearly worried about Riku. 

"Come on, we need to follow him!" Iori then declared. Tamaki nodded, and then the two of them quickly made their way out of the school and started running back to the house. Iori was praying that nothing would happen to Riku before they could find him. 

It was only once Riku was back in the safety of the House of Anubis that he let himself think about what had just happened. _'Why would Iori say something like that? Did he really mean it?'_ Riku could feel new tears escaping at the thought of what Iori had said. He wanted to believe it wasn't true, but for every second he was becoming more and more insecure about it. If it was true, did Tenn already know? Was that why he was so against Iori? But no, Riku didn't think Iori was that kind of person. Either way, the words still hurt. 

A few minutes later, Riku started feeling less sad and more irritated, angry almost. He wanted a distraction so that he wouldn't have to think about this anymore. That was when he remembered about the tunnels and the supposed bridge. What better way to distract himself that to search the tunnels for a crocodile-shaped bridge? 

Having made up his mind, Riku quickly went up to his room and grabbed a flashlight before heading down into the kitchen. He pulled out his locket from where it always hung around his neck and then used it to open the old oven. From there, he sneaked into the cellar, entered the code to get into the secret study, entered the tunnels and made his way through them until he reached the big hole in the ground. 

For a minute, Riku froze. Staring down into the abyss made him shiver. It really was a big drop. Having reminded himself to be extra careful and try to stay away from the edge as he searched, Riku turned around to start looking for the crocodile he knew he had seen down there earlier that same evening. 

However, what he saw when he turned around was no crocodile. Instead, he was face to face with the spirit lady once more. And she did not look happy. Riku flinched as she moved closer, still looking displeased. 

"You move at the pace of a dead beetle, boy! Why do you take so long?!" The spirit demanded to know. Riku gulped down his nerves and straightened his back as if to appear more determined than he was. "You have to understand that this takes time! I am doing my best!" He exclaimed. 

The spirit frowned, as if his answer was not good enough. "The mask is in return for your life!" She declared, as if Riku didn't already know what was at stake. Still, she really started to intimidate him now, and he was certain that he seemed more insecure once again. 

"You have betrayed both me and yourself. You are feeble, Chosen One." She said. Riku gulped, he had a bad feeling about where this was going. Maybe he should not have headed down into the tunnels by himself, he had nowhere to run down here. 

The spirit started moving closer to Riku, who in turn took a step back, only to find that he was mere inches away from the big drop. The spirit suddenly leaned in so that her face was right in front of Riku, whose eyes were now wide with fear. "I ought to have you replaced!" She yelled, startling Riku into taking yet another step back, only to find that there was no more ground for him to step on. 

The spirit vanished, but Riku still screamed as he felt himself losing balance and tipping over the edge. And then the one foot that was still on solid ground slipped, making Riku plummet down into the abyss. Or at least that is what would have happened, had he not managed to grab onto the small platform that was supposed to hold the bridge. 

Grunting and panting, Riku attempted to pull himself up, but to no avail. He simply wasn't strong enough, and soon, he found that his grip was starting to slip. However, that was when Riku heard hurried footsteps making their way through the tunnels. And so, Riku pushed himself to hold on just a little while longer. 

"Help me!" Riku called out desperately, after which he heard two familiar voices. "Rikkun!" Tamaki exclaimed, followed by Iori yelling, "Riku!" 

Iori and Tamaki made it just in time, Riku knew he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer. Once the two noticed what had happened, they wasted no time in grabbing ahold of Riku's arms before pulling him up and out of the hole. 

Once Riku was safely out of the hole, the truth of what had just happened fully set in, and he broke down. He grabbed onto the person closest to him, which just so happened to be Iori, and then started sobbing loudly. 

Iori gulped, he hated seeing Riku in pain and scared like this. What made it worse was that, in a way, he was the cause of that pain. For now though, he could do nothing about it but hold the other boy and comfort him until he calmed down. 

It took a few minutes, but Riku finally managed to calm down. He was out of the hole, the spirit was gone, and if she came back, at least he was not alone anymore. That was also when Riku realized just who was there, holding onto him. He also remembered what had happened that led up to that point. And so, Riku forcefully pushed Iori away. 

Iori initially looked stunned at the sudden action, but that soon changed into shame and disappointment. Riku glared at him, but with his face puffy and eyes glassy from crying, it came off more as a pout than a glare. "I'm still mad at you!" Riku declared. 

Iori wasn't exactly shocked to hear that, but it still hurt. He knew that he had to try and explain himself. "Riku, listen-" He started. However, he did not get to continue as Riku quickly held up a hand to interrupt him. "I don't want to hear it!" He said. 

Iori frowned. "But-" However, he didn't get much further this time either. "I mean it, Iori! Just drop it!" Riku interrupted, clearly still very upset by what Iori had said earlier. 

Tamaki sighed at the sight and leaned in closer to Iori. "Maybe you should wait until he calms down a bit?" He suggested, and Iori dejectedly nodded in agreement. After that, Tamaki turned to Riku. "Anyway, what happened Rikkun? We heard you scream, did you just happen to fall into the hole?" He asked curiously. 

Riku looked up at Tamaki, the irritation completely leaving his features, it was now replaced by fear as he shook his head. "No… It was the spirit, she cornered me. She was really angry, saying we were taking too long and that she ought to replace me, and then…" Riku trailed off. 

However, Tamaki and Iori both understood the implications. "She pushed you into the chasm." Iori said. "Seriously?!" Tamaki then added, sounding as if he couldn't believe it. Riku sighed. "Well… technically, she just backed me into the hole. She never actually touched me." He explained, and the others nodded. 

"Anyway," Tamaki started, sounding happy as he decided to try and cheer everyone up by changing the subject. "Rikkun, you said that you figured out where the bridge to cross this hole might be?" He asked. 

Riku smiled and nodded. "Yes, it's a crocodile." He answered, as if that would answer all of their questions. "A crocodile?" Iori asked. However, Riku ignored him. Seeing this, Tamaki sighed. "What do you mean?" He asked instead. 

Riku sighed. "You know how in old Egyptian paintings and carvings, the people are sometimes depicted as walking across a body of water using a crocodile?" He asked. Iori and Tamaki nodded. "Well, I remembered that there were a whole bunch of animals carved into the walls around here, and I think one of them is a big crocodile." Riku explained, gesturing at the walls all around them. 

Iori and Tamaki looked around in awe. Then, one of them spotted it. "There! The crocodile covers the entire wall!" Tamaki exclaimed as he pointed at the wall that was at their back if they approached the hole. Iori and Riku followed his finger with their eyes, and sure enough, there was the crocodile. 

The animal was carved into the wall, but it looked like it could be removed. The tail stood up in the air, while the open mouth faced the floor. It was so long, it probably reached up all the way to the ceiling. It looked like it should be long enough to use as a bridge. 

"Wow…" Riku whispered in awe. "How do we get it down?" Asked Tamaki after a moment of silently staring at it. The three boys approached it while trying to look for a way to get it away from the wall. Soon, they made a discovery. "Look, there's a cavity inside the mouth… I think there might be a lever in there!" Iori exclaimed. 

"So… who is going to pull it?" Tamaki asked, as if it obviously couldn't be him. Riku looked at Tamaki, then Iori, and then back at Tamaki. "I'm not putting my hand in there." He declared, glaring slightly at Iori, as if he was telling him that it was the least he could do to pull the lever. 

Iori sighed, but didn't argue. He lay down on the ground and then stuck his hand inside the crocodile's mouth. Even though it was only a wooden carving of the predator, Iori would be lying if he wasn't scared that it would suddenly bite down and completely sever his arm. 

Soon, Iori could feel the lever. By then, almost his entire arm was inside the cavity of the crocodile's mouth. Grunting, Iori pulled the lever. Afterwards, there was a strange sound, which they all believed was the bridge separating from the wall. 

They were right, but that also meant that's the big, and undoubtedly quite heavy, wooden crocodile started falling down. And it fell right where Iori was still laying. It was only in the last moment that Tamaki managed to pull his roommate away. 

The crocodile hit the ground with a loud bang, but after that, they could all relax. "Okay, let's get this bridge in place." Riku declared as he stood up, dusting off his pants. Iori and Tamaki followed suit, and then they all grabbed onto the bridge. However, as they tried to lift it, it soon became apparent that this was going to be a lot harder than they had anticipated. The crocodile was way too heavy. 

"This isn't going to work. We are never going to be able to move this on our own." Iori said dejectedly. However, Tamaki seemed excited by this. "Do you know what that means?" He asked in anticipation. Iori and Riku both shook their heads, after which Tamaki raised his hand and covered his eye with it, smiling all the while. "It's time to get the gang back together!" 

The next morning, it became apparent that Riku was still upset with Iori, as he wouldn't look at him even once throughout the entire breakfast. He even made sure to finish as soon as possible before retreating back to his room to be alone. Although, Iori had a feeling he was mainly trying to avoid him. 

On the other end of the table, Tenn was looking way too smug. It was really starting to annoy Iori. He seemed to be more excited that Iori was hurting than he was concerned that Riku was surely hurting just as much, or maybe even worse. 

Once they had finished their breakfast, Iori and Tamaki decided that they needed to find Riku so that they could discuss what to do next, and whether or not they really should ask for more help. And so, the two roommates ascended the stairs and knocked on the door to Riku and Nagi's room. There was some noise coming from the other side, leading Iori and Tamaki to believe they could come in. So that is what they did. 

Riku was sat in his bed, reading a book as Iori and Tamaki entered. Riku closed the book and remained neutral as he turned to them. The silence that followed was awkward to say the least. Trying to do something, Tamaki cleared his throat. "Well… I suppose we need to discuss what to do next?" He said. 

Riku nodded, though he did not look particularly excited about it. Iori returned the sentiment, there was after all something else that he and Riku ought to talk about. However, he wasn't sure how to start that, so he decided to just go along with Tamaki for now. "We already mentioned this last night, but we need to decide whether to try and solve this ourselves or if we should ask for help." Iori pointed out. 

Riku frowned, but Tamaki smiled and nodded. "I think we should gather the old Sibuna! Let's get Nagicchi and Sou-chan in on the search!" Tamaki exclaimed, and Iori nodded in agreement. "I agree. That bridge would be difficult to get in place even if it was light. But it weighs way too much for us to be capable of moving it ourselves. We'll just drop it down the hole and lose our way to cross forever." He said. 

However, it seemed like the third person present did not share the same opinion. "I don't think we should do that." Riku said, making both Tamaki and Iori turn to him. "Why not?" Tamaki asked. Riku shrugged. "Because of the spirit. She kind of tried to kill me last night. I think it's too risky to involve more people." He explained simply. 

"Well," Iori started. "I recognize that there is a certain risk that comes with involving others, but the fact that Yotsuba-san still has not been cursed shows that it's possible to be involved with the search without being cursed." He argued. 

Riku then finally looked directly at Iori for the first time since last night. Although he did not exactly look happy. "Did you forget what happened just a few days ago? The spirit visited Tamaki in his dreams! Sure, he managed to get away safely, but he could have been cursed by now! It's not safe to involve anyone else, so no, we are not telling Nagi and Sougo-san!" He exclaimed. 

"Then we'll give them the choice!" Iori argued. "Without telling them about our search, we can tell them that we need their help, but that doing so will put them at great risk. Then they can choose for themselves if they want to hear us out or not." He explained. 

Tamaki nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds great to me! That way, we might get help, but if they think it's too risky, they can just walk away before we really involve them!" He said, very pleased with this option. 

However, Riku stubbornly stayed true to his own opinion. "No! I don't care compromise you make, I don't want to involve anyone else!" He declared, then stood up and simply left, thus abruptly ending the argument. 

Iori sighed, but neither he or Tamaki followed the redhead. "That didn't go very well." Tamaki said, matter-of-factly. Iori nodded. "It's not that I don't understand Rikkun's argument, but if we don't get help, we won't be able to go further through the tunnels, and then both him and you die. We need to talk to Nagicchi and Sou-chan." Tamaki then pointed out. 

Once again, Iori nodded. "I agree. But what are we supposed to do if Riku won't talk to them?" He asked. Tamaki shrugged. "Then you and I just have to talk to them without Rikkun." He said, making Iori look at him with a shocked expression. "You mean go behind his back? I don't want to do that." He said. 

Tamaki rolled his eyes. "Would you rather both he and you die at the hands of a vengeful spirit?" He asked, which left Iori unable to argue further. "I'll text them to meet us in our room in about an hour. We can talk about what to tell them in the meantime." Tamaki then declared. Iori could do nothing but watch his friend pull out his phone and text the other two, the bad feeling he'd had in the pit of his stomach since last night getting worse by the second. 

By the time Nagi and Sougo walked into Iori and Tamaki's bedroom, Iori was really close to just walking out, find Riku and tell him about everything. He felt guilty enough as it was since he still had not cleared up last night's misunderstanding. Adding going behind Riku's back to this just made Iori feel worse. 

The two second years closed the door behind them and then joined Iori and Tamaki in the middle of the room. "So, you guys said you had something Sibuna related to talk about?" Nagi asked, getting them started. 

Iori and Tamaki looked at one another and nodded, they could no longer turn back. "Yeah, but before we tell you, we need you to understand that this is really serious. Like, actual lives are at stakes, that's how serious this is. And if we tell you, you two will be at risk as well. So, if you would rather just leave now, we totally understand." Iori started explaining. 

Nagi and Sougo looked at each other for a moment, considering whether to listen or not. In the end, it wasn't that hard to choose. "You would only put us at risk if you really needed the help, right?" Sougo speculated. Iori and Tamaki nodded. "Well then, it's not even a choice. Of course we will help you." Declared Nagi, giving the two a smile. 

Once Sougo and Nagi had agreed to hear them out, Iori and Tamaki started explaining everything that had happened since their return in detail. They told them about the cup not being destroyed, the doll riddle, the spirit and her marks, the mask, as well as their adventures through the secret tunnels beneath the house. Nagi and Sougo could barely believe it. In fact, if they hadn't been involved in everything that happened last term, they probably wouldn't have believed it. 

Then, all of a sudden there were knocks on the door, making the four boys inside tense up. Before Iori or Tamaki could answer it, the door opened and Riku walked in. "Tamaki, Iori, I'm sorry about just walking out this morning, but-" He started, but froze once he saw the other two people in the room. 

Nagi and Sougo relaxed when they saw that it was only Riku, but Iori and Tamaki tensed up. "What are you doing?" Riku asked, casting a suspicious glare at Iori and Tamaki. Iori's guilty expression and Tamaki's apologetic smile told Riku all that he needed to know. 

"I told you I didn't want to tell them! What if the spirit comes after them?! I don't want anyone else's life to be in danger because of me!" He exclaimed, a hurt expression on his face. He the turned to look directly at Iori. "Why would you go behind my back like this? Are you trying to make it into a habit?" He asked. 

The entire room suddenly grew tense and silent. Iori still felt bad, but he was also a bit irritated as he realized what this was really about. Meanwhile, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo all felt like they were intruding on something a bit too personal. 

"Is that what this is really about? Look, you have all right to be upset with me, but you didn't even try to listen to my explanation! Instead you avoided me, glared at me or argued with me! And now you're not even thinking about the quest, you're just being petty because I hurt your feelings!" Iori exclaimed, making Riku's eyes widen in shock and grief. 

Feeling that maybe this wasn't quite their place to interfere, Tamaki motioned for Nagi and Sougo to follow him out of the room so that Iori and Riku could talk out their issues. The two didn't even acknowledge their friends as they left. The only indication that they even noticed them leaving was that they stayed silent until the door closed behind them. 

Riku could feel tears welling up behind his eyes and looked up to meet Iori's eyes. "Why would you say something like that?" He asked, sounding heartbroken. "I didn't want to believe that you actually meant it, but why else would you say something like that?" Riku added. 

Iori sighed. "I didn't mean it! And I'm so sorry I hurt you, but will you listen to my explanation? Please?" He asked, sitting himself down on the bed and patting the space beside him, motioning for Riku to join him. Much to Iori's relief, Riku nodded and sat down beside him. 

"Explain then." Riku beckoned. Iori took a deep breath and begun. "After you left me and your brother, we kind of started arguing. It wasn't much at first, but then it started escalating. We both said a lot of things we didn't mean, but in the end, I was the one who snapped. I still don't know just how much you heard, but I'm guessing you only heard the second part of what I said." He started. 

Riku frowned. "I heard you saying that you never even loved me, and that you thought we should break up…" He answered. Iori flinched at that, remembering the hurtful words. He then nodded. "Yeah, I figured you heard that part…" He said. 

Riku then turned to Iori and gave him a questioning look. "Then what were you saying? All of it." He asked Iori to tell him, which Iori intended to do either way. "I don't know what it is you want me to do. Do you want me to lie to you? Is that it? Do you want me to tell you that I never even loved your brother, and think that we should break up?" Iori said. "That is what I told your brother." He then clarified. 

Riku looked up at Iori, finally seeing him again. "That's what you said?" He asked, and Iori nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry that it led to such a misunderstanding. I promise you, I didn't mean a word of what you heard. I really didn't lie to you, I don't want to break up with you, and I… I do love you…" Iori said. 

Riku's eyes widened in shock and despite all the emotions twirling around inside him, Riku could feel himself grow more and more flustered. "You… you love me?" He asked in disbelief. 

Iori felt his cheeks heat up, but nodded anyway. After all, this was something he truly meant. "I mean… I've never really felt like this before, so I don't have anything to compare it to… But yes, I really believe that I love you." 

Riku gulped, his heart was beating fast in his chest and he was sure his face must be extremely pink by now. Despite the misunderstanding and everything that had happened since, Riku could already feel himself forgetting about it. Instead of the hurt that overtook him before, he could feel a different much more pleasant feeling overcome him. 

Finally, Riku's tear ducts broke and he started crying. "I'm… I'm sorry… I just- I didn't know what to think… and it- it really hurt to think that you… hated me." He managed to get out in between sobs. Iori wanted nothing more than to wrap the crying boy in his arms and comfort him, but he still wasn't sure where they stood. 

Riku continued. "I- I forgive you… I just rea- really don't want you to leave me!" He exclaimed, and that was when Iori finally decided to just give in to his desires and pulled the redhead into his embrace. Riku quickly returned the hug, sobbing into Iori's shoulder. 

Once he calmed down a little bit, Riku mumbled something into Iori's shirt. When he realized Iori hadn't heard him, he pulled back only an inch so that he could be heard. "I love you too." 

Iori froze, then pushed Riku away from him so that he could look him in the face. "Really?" He asked. Riku blushed and nodded. Then it was Iori's turn to cry and Riku's turn to wrap his arms around him in an embrace. 

Once all the tears had been dried away, Iori and Riku looked at one another again. "Does this mean we're okay now?" Iori asked. Riku laughed, then nodded. "Yes, we're okay." He said, making Iori smile. 

After that, once everything had been cleared up and new truths had been revealed, it was almost as if the two were drawn together. Before they knew it, they crashed together in a passionate and emotion-filled kiss. 

Lips moved against each other, hands started wondering, and the two boys drew ever closer as they lost themselves in one another. They broke apart only when they needed air, only to come together again shortly after. They kissed again and again, stroking each other's faces, necks, shoulders, hair, backs and sides all the while. 

They were forcefully pulled apart when a loud knock on the door sounded, startling them enough that they separated. They both took a minute to collect their breaths, straighten their shirts and fix their hair, blushing and laughing all the while at their state. Then they gave whoever was on the other side of the door permission to enter. 

They weren't that surprised to see Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo enter the room. "Are you two done yet? It's been almost forty minutes…" Tamaki asked. Nagi smirked as he saw their state."Oh, they definitely made up." He said. 

Iori and Riku blushed at the implication, but were too happy to really care. "Finally!" Tamaki exclaimed. "So, now that you two made up. Can we talk about the tunnels? I mean, we already told Nagicchi and Sou-chan everything, so we should just accept their help." He then added. 

Riku sighed, then nodded. "Yeah, okay. I'm sorry if I overreacted. I only wanted to try and keep others from getting hurt." He explained. "But we do kind of need the help." He then admitted. 

They all smiled, finally all of them were at the same page. "So," started Nagi. "When do we get to see these secret tunnels!" He asked. Riku smiled. "How about tonight?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They made up! Yay! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll be back with the next one on Wednesday! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After telling Nagi and Sougo, they all go down into the tunnels to try and get the bridge in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter, I hope you guys like it! If you want to talk to me or have anyquestions, feel free to contact me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

When night fell and the clock was about to strike ten, all of Sibuna hid in the kitchen, waiting for Tsukumo to come out of the cellar and tell them all to go to their rooms. They were going to use that opportunity to quickly sneak down and enter the secret tunnels. Right on que, Tsukumo stepped out into the hallway.

"Come on, we don't have long!" Riku said, making quick work of opening the secret passage into the cellar. They all sneaked down after him , knowing that Tsukumo could come back into the cellar at any time. 

Once they were down, Iori entered the code into the bookshelf while Nagi and Sougo looked on in awe. Then they entered the study, and only once the door closed behind them were the five boys able to relax. "We did it! We sneaked past Tsukumo!" Tamaki exclaimed triumphantly. 

Iori and Riku shared his joy, but Nagi and Sougo were busy taking in the sights. "If you think this is cool, wait until you see the tunnels." Riku said knowingly. "Speaking of, we should get going." Iori said, and the others agreed. Earlier that night, Riku had handed both Sougo and Nagi an amulet, leaving the sixth and final one in the dollhouse. So, now they were all ready to go. 

They entered the tunnels, and as they moved through the dark pathways, they had to stop every once in a while to let the two second years take in everything they saw. Iori, Riku and Tamaki had been a bit worried that Nagi and Sougo would have to do the hopscotch test as well, as the riddle had stated that all had to complete it. But luckily, it seemed like they had disabled that test after clearing it earlier. 

And then, the group finally made it to the big hole. "Woah… That's a big drop." Nagi said as he and Sougo stared down into the abyss. "Yeah, we need to be really careful not to fall down there. We probably won't ever come back if we do." Tamaki commented. 

Iori couldn't help but notice Riku standing farther away from the hole than the rest, his hands trembling a bit. Iori recalled what had happened the last time they were down here, and quickly realized why his boyfriend seemed wary. And so, he moved over and took ahold of Riku's hand. "Hey, it's okay. You're not going to fall in." He said. 

Riku smiled up at Iori, leaned into his side and then finally managed to relax. "Thank you." He said. Iori smiled fondly and squeezed his hand, making sure to just stay close and offer comfort if Riku wanted it. 

Once Nagi and Sougo were finished looking down into the abyss, they all turned to the big, wooden crocodile that lay on the floor, right where Riku, Iori and Tamaki left it. "So, that is our bridge?" Nagi asked. "Yes, we need to move it over the gap and onto the small platforms on the either side." Iori answered, pointing at where they needed the bridge to go. 

"The only problem is," started Tamaki. "That it is really heavy. The three of us were barely able to move it." He finished. "Well, we are two more now. Let's try it, yeah?" Nagi suggested and the others nodded. 

They decided to try and lift it up into a standing position first, so that is what they did. It was tough, but they finally managed to get it upright. However, now they were all panting with the effort it took. "I hate to admit it," Sougo started. "But I don't think that me and Nagi-kun are going to be enough to move this over the gap. It's as heavy as a log." He said. 

"We have to try. We need to be able to cross that gap." Iori said stubbornly. The others didn't argue, but it was apparent that none of them thought it possible. Still, they were willing to try, and that is what they did. They all leaned the log forward until they were carrying it, but it was soon clear that even if they could lift it and move it, they would not be able to get it onto the platform on the other side of the hole. 

All of a sudden, Tamaki's grip slipped, causing all of them to stumble and drop the crocodile onto the floor with an alarmingly loud bang. Luckily, no one was hurt, but they were a bit scared that the loud sound had alerted Tsukumo. He could have definitely heard it if he was back in the cellar. 

"Sorry…" Tamaki said. "It's fine, we wouldn't have been able to do it like this anyway." Iori said, walking over to the gap while trying to think of a solution. "What if…" He started. "What if we placed the crocodile onto the platform closest to us, then let go of it so that it falls onto the platform on the other side?" He suggested. 

Sougo frowned. "That could work, but the platform is only about as wide as the bridge. It would be too easy to miss, and then we lose the bridge down that chasm." He argued. "Do we have any other choice? I don't think there's another way we can do this." Riku added. 

After a short while of thinking, they decided to go along with Iori's idea. However, they also decided to practice doing it a few times before doing the real thing, and so it was time to leave the tunnels for now. 

When they got back to the study, Iori stopped the others from exiting as he looked out through the peephole, his shoulders tense. "Tsukumo?" Riku asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Iori nodded. "He's fiddling with the bookshelf. You don't think he discovered that you can enter a combination, do you?" He asked. 

Riku gulped at the thought, that would really complicate things. However, there was nothing they could do from inside without alerting Tsukumo of the secret room's existence. And so, the five simply waited while keeping an eye on the older man outside. 

They couldn't figure out what he was doing with the bookshelf, but at least he wasn't able to get inside. And about twenty minutes later, he left the cellar, making it so that Sibuna could finally leave and head back to their own rooms. 

The next afternoon, once class had ended for all five members of Sibuna, the boys met up in the clearing in the woods behind the house. Why were they there? To practice how to get the bridge across the gap. 

They had learned that just a few days prior that a tree had fallen over when Vera complained about it while serving dinner. So, they planned to use that as their makeshift bridge. Nagi had also sneaked into the tiny storage shed in the garden to borrow a few tools. 

That was why Nagi, Tamaki and Iori were now sawing away at the log to make it about as big and heavy as the one in the cellar. Meanwhile, Riku and Sougo were looking for stones to use as makeshift platforms. It took almost an hour, but soon they had something that would have to pass as the platforms and bridge down in the tunnels. 

"Okay, let's get started! The log we have here is a little bit lighter than the one in the tunnels, but it is the same size. So just keep that in mind." Nagi exclaimed and the others nodded. "So, how do we do this?" Riku asked, walking up to the log. 

"Well," started Iori. "We need to place the log upright on one of the platforms," he said as he pointed at the platform closest to them. "Then we push it forward so that it falls over. Then it should, theoretically, land on the other platform." He explained. 

Riku nodded. "Okay, that sounds good. But what happens if we miss?" He asked. "If we miss down in the tunnels, then the bridge falls into the gap, and we probably won't ever be able to get it back." Iori answered and Riku gulped. "So, in other words, we can't miss." He said. 

"Right, but that is why we are practicing." Iori clarified, and then they got started. They all hoisted up the log and managed to place it on the platform. Then they all simultaneously pushed it hard enough so that it started falling over. There was a tense silence, followed by the sound of the log colliding with the ground, and finally a unanimous groan as the log just missed the platform. 

"That was so close! It's not even an inch away from the rock!" Tamaki exclaimed. "This is going to be tough… Especially since we only have one try once we do the real thing." Sougo commented. "Let's practice more then." Iori declared, and that is exactly what they did. 

They lifted the log back up and positioned it just right, then they pushed it once again. This time, the fall was followed by a cheer as they managed to get the log to hit the other platform just right. "That's how it's supposed to look! Alright!" Tamaki yelled excitedly, giving Riku a high five. 

"Now we just need to be able to do that again!" Riku said. The others agreed and then they got back to work. A few minutes later, they were all panting and sweating. It was very tiring to lift the log over and over again. To top it all off, they had not been that successful. 

"Okay, so out of the ten times we dropped the log, we hit the platform once." Iori said, sounding disappointed. "Well, a ten percent chance to hit it isn't too bad." Sougo commented. "But it's not good enough." Iori said, and one look at the rest told him that they agreed. 

Riku sighed, they knew it was possible to get the bridge in place like this, but it was going to be very difficult. "We should keep practicing then." Tamaki said, and the others all agreed. Riku was about to do the same, but a whisper in his head made him change his mind. "Hurry boy! This is not a game for children!" 

Riku recognized the voice as the one belonging to the spirit. Also, it did not seem like anyone else had heard her. "Wait!" He exclaimed, gaining the attention of his friends. "What's wrong?" Iori asked in concern. "I think we should go down and do it as soon as possible." Riku said. 

Iori gave Riku a knowing look, he could tell that Riku was afraid. So, he nodded. "Okay, we'll try to sneak down tonight. It's time for dinner in about half an hour, so let's keep practicing until then, and leave for the tunnels once we have eaten." He suggested. 

Riku looked a bit uncertain, what with the spirit putting pressure on him and all. Still, he would feel a bit better if they could manage to hit the platform in practice at least one more time. And so, Riku agreed to Iori's suggestion, all the while being conscious of his surroundings so that the spirit didn't suddenly sneak up on them. She would just have to wait until later that night. 

When they did manage to sneak down into the tunnels later that evening, Riku was practically trembling from the impatience and nervous energy. They had needed to wait a bit longer than he would have liked since Vera was in the kitchen for another hour after they had finished dinner. But when she finally left the room, and they made sure that Tsukumo was in his office and not in the cellar, they wasted no more time to get down there. 

So, now they were walking through the tunnels, making their way to the gap. The fact that they only had one shot to do this right kept them all silent and focused, everyone was feeling how serious this situation was. 

They soon reached the gap, and despite his nerves, Riku wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. "Okay, let's do this." He declared, walking up to the wooden crocodile. The others followed suit, and soon they had positioned it right on the platform closest to them. 

"Remember the practice from this afternoon. We need to hit that small platform on the other side, and I know it's going to be difficult, but we know it's possible." Iori said. "Based on how we did in the afternoon, I'd say we have a 15% chance of hitting that platform. It's not a lot, but we can make it work." Sougo added. 

"We better make it work." Riku said. "Because if we don't, I have no idea how we are going to be able to get across." He finished. "Well then," Tamaki started, a nervous smile to try and hide how tense he truly was covering his face. "Here goes nothing!" He exclaimed. 

They all took a deep breath, as if stalling, holding onto their hope for just a moment longer. And then they pushed, letting everything go along with the bridge. Falling down, with a big chance of just plummetting into the dark abyss with no hope of resurfacing. But maybe, just maybe, they might hit that small sliver of hope that could keep them all going. 

There was a loud crash as the crocodile hit the other side, and much to their disbelief, and delight, it landed perfectly on the small stone platform on the other end of the hole. Their bridge had been laid down. 

"We did it…" Riku said in disbelief. Then he turned around to the others with the biggest smile on his face. "We did it!" He repeated, this time sounding properly happy and relieved. In his excitement, Riku threw his arms around Iori and pulled his boyfriend into him. 

Iori stumbled forward, flustered by the sudden act, but he couldn't help but laugh and wrap his own arms around Riku. He fully noted that the other three also celebrated off to the side, but all his focus was on the boy in his arms. The boy that he felt himself falling deeper and deeper in love with every day. 

Maybe they were all reacting a bit too strongly, but the odds had been against them, and they had still managed to do it. The bridge was in place. As they all calmed down, Riku leaned in quickly and placed a soft peck on Iori's lips. It only lasted a second, but it meant a lot more to both of them. 

Once they all managed to calm down a bit, they looked out across the gap. They all had silly smiles adorning their faces as they saw the crocodile now forming the bridge across to the other side. "We can finally cross the gap." Tamaki exclaimed happily. "So, who wants to go first?" He then asked. 

Suddenly, they all became awkwardly silent. The thought of having to actually cross just hit them. The bridge wasn't that wide, it was probably between twenty and thirty centimeters. And on top of that, it only rested on two small platforms, it wasn't exactly the most secure way of crossing a pit that seemed almost bottomless. 

"Well, we all have to cross at some point, and someone has to be the first to do so. I can do it." Nagi said. The others wouldn't say it, but they were secretly happy that he had offered to go first. No one was very keen on finding out just how stable the bridge really was. 

"Just be careful." Riku called out as Nagi walked up to the bridge. The blond smiled and nodded at his roommate, and then he took his first step out onto the crocodile. He looked stable, as if it was the easiest thing to traverse the narrow bridge. "It's surprisingly stable. It doesn't wobble at all." Nagi commented, much to all their delight. 

However, when Nagi had crossed a little more than a fourth of the bridge, there was a strange sound coming from walls. Four slits opened up on both sides of the wall, and then, out of nowhere, big, sharp-looking pendulums started swinging back and forth. 

Nagi gasped and tensed up. Luckily he was stood between the first and the second pendulum, but that didn't mean he was safe. One wrong step could cause him to either lose a limb or fall to his death. 

The remaining four, who were still stood safely where they started, gasped in fear as they watched Nagi standing amidst four deadly sharp pendulums. "Come back! Nagi, you have to turn around and come back!" Riku called out, afraid for his friend. 

Nagi gulped and nodded, then he slowly rotated his body on top of the bridge. "It's only one you have to pass in order to get back, we will help you time it! Sougo called out and Nagi nodded once more. 

For about a minute, they all stood still and watched the pendulum, trying to get a sense of its rythm. "Okay, I think I got it. When I tell you to move, you need to quickly walk as far ahead as you can." Sougo instructed Nagi, who nodded in understanding. A few seconds passed, and then Sougo opened his mouth."Now!" He yelled. 

Nagi practically ran past the pendulum and back to safety, where the others quickly made their way up to him, asking if he was okay. "I'm fine! I'm fine!" Nagi reassured them. 

They took a moment to process this new development, all the while watching the four pendulums swing back and forth across the gap. "That is so not fair!" Tamaki soon exclaimed. "Wasn't the death drop enough?! Did Watanabe Ritsu really have to add swinging knives to it?!" 

"That certainly does complicate things." Iori agreed. Riku groaned. "So, even if we managed to get the bridge in place we still can't pass?" He asked, feeling dejected to say the least. Iori reached out and took ahold of his hand, hoping to offer some comfort. 

"Actually, I think it's going to be easier to learn how to safely get past the pendulums than how to place the bridge. It's all about learning the rhythm of each pendulum, the melody of all of them together. It's just like music!" Sougo pointed out. 

"Can you memorize it?" Riku asked. "Can you make it so that we can practice how to get to the other side?" He added. Sougo smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just give me a minute to note all of their rhythm." He said, pulling out a notebook and a pen. 

The others were all happy to leave it to Sougo. They knew of his interest and talent in music, so they trusted him to come up with something. Now they just had to wait, they would come back and pass later. 

Tsukumo was in his cellar, pacing back and forth throughout the room while thinking intensely about his problems. He was also waiting for Vera. Earlier that day, he had asked her to join him down there, seeing as they had decided to work together. And Tsukumo believed he had found a big lead. 

A few minutes later, there was a knock coming from the top of the stairs, followed by the door opening and footsteps coming down into the cellar. Tsukumo smiled as he saw Vera enter the room and gestured for her to join him. "You asked me to see you down here?" The woman asked. 

Tsukumo nodded. "Yes… it is about what we have discussed before. About the book of Isis and about the kids meddling." He said, and immediately Vera seemed more alert as she nodded and motioned for Tsukumo to go on. 

"We already know that the children come down here, which led me to believe that there might be something down here that I'm not seeing." Tsukumo started and Vera listened intently. "And the other day, I found something peculiar." Said Tsukumo. 

The caretaker then walked over to the bookshelf stood opposite of the staircase back up to the house. He then stroked his fingers along the upper edge, stopping near the center and resting his hand over a section of the pattern. Vera raised an eyebrow in question, silently asking him to go on. 

"Part of the pattern at the top of the shelf can be rotated. You can insert a code here." Tsukumo explained, finally getting to the point. Vera's eyes widened in shock. "And you think that's what the kids keep coming back down here for?" She asked and Tsukumo nodded as an answer. 

"What do you think the combination could be? And what happens when you insert the correct one?" Vera asked eagerly, but Tsukumo only shrugged. "I'm not sure… I have already tried some combinations, but I'm doing it blindly. Maybe if I had some kind of clue to go along with it, I could figure it out." He said. 

Vera frowned, then her expression turned thoughtful. "But the kids… They most likely know the combination already. Why don't we try to get it from them?" She asked, making Tsukumo frown. "I don't know if that's a good idea… They would never tell me anything about a code." He said. 

Vera rolled her eyes. "Well, I didn't mean to literally ask them, we wouldn't want them to learn that we are onto them, after all. It's possible they have it written down somewhere. If you want, I could search their rooms while cleaning them." She suggested. 

Tsukumo was about to answer her, but then he heard something. He frowned and leaned in closer to the bookshelf, only to confirm his suspicion. He could hear voices coming from the other side of the wall. He motioned for Vera to come closer, but also to keep quiet. He then watched as realization hit her, telling him that she had also heard the voices. 

"It has to be the children!" Vera whispered. Tsukumo nodded. "Yes… It seems like there is another room back there, and I never knew anything!" He answered before taking a step back, crossing his arms and glaring at the bookshelf. 

"What are you doing?!" Vera asked pointedly. "When those brats come out, I am going to corner them." Tsukumo answered. Vera sighed. "I thought we said that we didn't want them to know we were onto them! No, I have a better idea! Let's hide!" She said, dragging Tsukumo away to hide behind some debris. 

The two were silent, barely breathing, as they waited. Then, suddenly the numbers on the top of the shelf started spinning on their own. "There! 1890!" Vera exclaimed, before once again going silent. The two adults watched as five of the students living in the house entered the cellar. They noticed that the door on top of the staircase was open, and thus hurried up the stairs and out of the cellar. 

Once they were sure that the five students were all gone, Tsukumo and Vera stood up and gave each other a knowing look. Then they simultaneously made their way over to the bookshelf and Tsukumo quickly entered the correct combination, which they now knew was 1890. And then, the bookshelf moved aside easily, revealing a hidden room behind it. 

Tsukumo walked in, closely followed by Vera. Both shared similar expressions of pure awe as they looked around the room. "It's some sort of… study? Or perhaps an office?" Vera observed. Tsukumo nodded. "Yes, and not just any study." He said, pointing at the portrait that hung on the wall ahead of them. "It's the study of Watanabe Ritsu." 

Vera's eyes widened. "Watanabe Ritsu? As in, one of the original owners?" She asked and Tsukumo answered by nodding. "Yes. I don't know what is in here but one thing is for sure." He said, turning to Vera with a triumphant smile on his face. "It is bound to be very valuable."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukumo and Vera have discovered the secret study, how will this affect the story??? Find out on Saturday, because that's when I'll be back with the next chapter! Thank you for reading, I hope you liked this chapter and are looking forward to the next! And thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and comments! <3


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna practice so that they can cross the big drop in the tunnels, meanwhile, Tsukumo is adamant about exploring the secret study he just discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! Please, enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

The next day, after school, the five Sibuna members met back in the clearing in the woods once more. The log they had used to practice with yesterday still lay there on the ground. They planned to use it once again, as its shape was very similar to the bridge down in the tunnels.

They positioned the log just right so that they could use it to practice, not how to place it, but how to cross it. "Okay, so the plan is to learn the timing and the rhythm of each pendulum to be able to cross as easily as possible, right?" Iori asked. 

Sougo nodded. "Yes, each pendulum swings back and forth at a certain speed. Together, they create a sort of melody. I wrote it all down last night, so if we can memorize it, we should be able to cross fairly easy." He explained. 

Nagi took an experimental step into the log, trying out how stable it was. "Well, if we learn to cross this log while being conscious of the timing of all the pendulums, then we can definitely cross the one in the tunnels. That one felt more stable than this log does." He pointed out. 

"Yeah, but here we don't have to be worried about falling to our deaths or being cut in half if we take a wrong step." Tamaki added, rolling his eyes at his friend. "Fair enough, I guess." Nagi answered sheepishly. 

"So, how are we going to learn the rhythm of the pendulums?" Riku asked, getting them back to the matter at hand. "Well, there are four pendulums, and we are five people. I was thinking that four of us could represent each pendulum as the fifth one crosses the bridge." Sougo explained. 

"Okay, so if I cross first, then you all are the pendulums?" Riku asked and Sougo nodded. He then motioned for all of them, apart from Riku, to take their places at sides of the log. Iori and Nagi stood on the left, while Tamaki and Sougo stood on the right. 

"Okay, so this time around, Nagi-kun will be pendulum A, Tamaki-kun will be B, Iori-kun C, and I will be D. I already know the melody, so when I say your letter, I need you to hop across the log, acting as the pendulums." Sougo started instructing them. "Riku-kun will then try to cross without colliding with any of us. Try and observe the pace at which all of us crosses the log." He continued, looking at Riku all the while. 

Riku nodded. "Okay, I got it." He answered. Sougo smiled. "Good. Then, once you have successfully crossed to the other side, we'll rotate. That way, everyone will try and be each pendulum, so that we can learn how each one moves." He added finally, finishing his explanation of how all of it would work out. 

Then, they got started. One by one, they took turns to cross the log and jumping across as the different pendulums. It was actually sort of fun, almost like they were playing a game. Because of that, they let their guard down and were a bit too loud. 

"What are you guys doing?" Someone called out to them, sounding amused. The suddenness of it made the one currently walking across the log, which was Tamaki, stumble and fall off. Tamaki groaned in pain and rubbed his bottom, which hurt from the fall. 

They all turned around then, and were face to face with Mitsuki and Yamato, who were watching them with smiles on their faces. "Nii-san! What are you doing here?" Iori asked, pleased that it had not been Tsukumo at least. Mitsuki grinned. "Well, you weren't exactly being subtle! We heard your voices from the front of the house and wondered what was going on." He explained. 

"Speaking of…" Yamato started. "What exactly were you doing?" He asked. Everyone grew silent, not really sure what to say. It wasn't like they could tell them that they were practicing to cross a deadly gap in secret tunnels beneath the house. 

In the end, it was Nagi that came up with an answer. "We are doing an interpretive dance!" He said. The others quickly caught on. "Yes! It's for extra credit!" Sougo added, and the others nodded in agreement. 

Yamato and Mitsuki mostly looked amused, but they at least seemed to buy it. "Do you need any help?" Mitsuki asked. "No, we're fine!" Iori was quick to decline, after which Yamato and Mitsuki took their leave. "Well, good luck with that!" Yamato called out as he and Mitsuki left. 

The five Sibuna members simultaneously let out a breath of relief. They needed to be a bit more careful as they kept practicing. "Well, shall we continue?" Nagi soon asked, once they were sure they were alone in the woods again. The others nodded. "Yes, let's keep practicing." Declared Riku. 

Ever since he discovered the secret room yesterday, Tsukumo had not been able to stop thinking about it. He knew that the Watanabes had hidden more than the Cup of Ankh in the house, after all, his father had been obsessed with all the treasures, constantly cursing Ritsu for having hidden them so well. The only problem was that Tsukumo himself had no idea what these treasures were. 

Still, he was sure that the secret room had something to do with it, otherwise, Watanabe Ritsu would not have bothered to hide it away. There had to be something hidden in there, or at least something that would lead him onwards. Or maybe the treasures was in the room itself, in all the knowledge it held. 

Tsukumo tensed as he realized something. Was it possible that the Book of Isis was hidden inside the secret study? He knew then that he had to return, and that he had to do it soon. But just as he was about to leave, he realized that if the book was hidden in there, then it was also possible that the students had found it. 

Frowning, he decided that maybe it was time to take a closer look at what the children had found. He knew, theoretically, that he should leave snooping around their rooms to Vera now that the two of them were working together. However, he was eager do something for himself right now. 

Having made up his mind, Tsukumo sneaked out and carefully knocked on the door to the room belonging to Rokuya Nagi and Nanase Riku. He wanted to be sure that they weren't already back, after all. When there was no sound from the other side of the door, Tsukumo entered. 

Tsukumo made quick work of the room, but found nothing. He sighed in annoyance and decided to just leave before the boys returned. However, as he was leaving, he walked into one of the tables and hit his shin. 

Cursing under his breath, Tsukumo turned and gave the object an accusatory glare. It was that blasted dollhouse. Tsukumo didn't think much of it, but soon he noticed that something seemed off about it. When he walked into it, a small drawer had started to open near the foundation of the house. 

Feeling curious, Tsukumo carefully opened the drawer, only to see a folded piece of paper inside. He took it up, unfolded it, and then stared in awe at the sight before him. It was a map. 

Tsukumo recognized the cellar and what he assumed must be the secret study. But what stunned him about it was that the map didn't stop there. There appeared to be multiple tunnels hidden beneath the house, and the secret study was only the beginning. Tsukumo knew then that one of the treasures brought back by the Watanabes had to be hidden down there, most likely at the very end. 

It now made sense to Tsukumo why the kids were going back into the tunnels time and time again. They must be making their way through the tunnels little by little. But now that he knew that they existed, Tsukumo would make sure to reach the end of the tunnels first. 

He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the map before putting it back in the dollhouse. After all, Vera had been right when she said that it would be best to keep the children in the dark regarding how much they knew. Then Tsukumo quickly left the room, he had what he came there for, after all. 

Wasting no time, Tsukumo quickly made it into the cellar, entered the combination into the bookshelf and entered Ritsu's secret study. The room awed him just as much as it had the last time he was here. Maybe even more, now that he knew it was only the first step in a series of trials before reaching the treasure that was surely awaiting him at the end. 

Tsukumo reached for his phone and opened the gallery so that he could look at the map. "The Ibis bird marks the first portion of the tunnels… So, it's designated to the God Thoth." He said out loud. Then, Tsukumo walked over to the wall where it looked like the path continued on the map. 

"The entrance to the rest of the tunnels should be here somewhere…" He mumbled before looking around. He was searching for a handle, a switch, a lever, or something like that. Something that indicated that he could enter the tunnels. 

Soon, much to his delight, Tsukumo spotted the Ibis bird on the back of one of the books in the bookshelf. "Aha!" He declared triumphantly. Then Tsukumo reached up and grabbed ahold of the book before slowly pulling it out. He was delighted to hear gears turning as he did, meaning he must have set off some sort of mechanism. 

When the bookshelf started turning around shortly after, he could not contain the grin that was spreading across his face. He caught his first glimpse of the tunnels and was absolutely marveled at how they seemed to stretch out ahead of him. 

However, Tsukumo did not get very far once he was inside the tunnels, as he was soon greeted by a bright beam of light that shone at him from the opposite end of the room. He took an alarmed step back and then screamed in agony as the beam hit his eyes. And then the world went black. 

"Do you really think we're ready? I mean, we do have to walk across a death gap on a thin bridge while also avoiding a bunch of sharp, swinging knives! Are you sure we shouldn't practice some more?" Tamaki asked in concern as he, Sougo, Riku, Iori and Nagi headed for the cellar. 

"I know it may be a bit risky, but I want to cross that gap tonight." Riku answered. "Besides, everyone was able to cross the bridge without falling off or walking into any 'pendulums' at least once during practice. So, we should all be able to cross." He added. 

Tamaki pouted, but he had to give in. That didn't mean that he wasn't nervous about crossing the gap, he was extremely nervous. And besides, he could tell that the others were too, but no one said anything to try and keep the morale up. 

And so, the five Sibuna members quickly and carefully made their way into the cellar. They approached the bookshelf, however, they soon stopped in their tracks as the bookshelf suddenly opened on its own. Only, it didn't open on its own, and they all tensed when they realized it meant that someone other than them must have opened it from the inside. 

When they saw Tsukumo stumble out of the room, they all thought that they were screwed. After all, how would they explain what they were doing down in the cellar when they weren't allowed to be there? However, they saw Tsukumo blink rapidly before stretching out his arms and feeling around. He even stumbled over a bucket on the floor and swore under his breath. 

Realization hit them all, he had been blinded by the first booby trap. Riku quickly raised a finger to his lips and motioned for the others to stay silent and to keep out of Tsukumo's way. Hopefully, the older man would leave without ever realizing they were there. 

Tsukumo continued to stumble and swear for a while, and at one point he was super close to grabbing onto Iori, who stood closest to the door. Luckily, Iori had managed to duck just in time. Then, finally Tsukumo found the door to the stairs leading up and started making his way out of the cellar. 

It was only once they could hear the door at the top of the stairs close that the five boys were able to relax. They hadn't been found. Still, this brought up a new problem. "Tsukumo found the secret study? When do you think he found it? And how?" Riku asked, sounding troubled. 

"Remember that one time when Tsukumo was fiddling with the bookshelf as we were leaving? Maybe that was when he found that he could insert a combination into it." Iori suggested. 

Riku frowned. "But he must not have known the right combination at that time. Otherwise he would have entered. That means that since then, he managed to find the combination AND discover the entrance to the tunnels!" He exclaimed. 

Iori walked up to the clearly agitated Riku and grabbed ahold of his shoulders, making the redhead look at him. "Relax, okay? Even if he did find the entrance, there's no way for him to get any farther. In order to get past the beam, you need to wear an amulet. And we have all six of them." He said. 

Riku did relax a bit after hearing that. "I guess that's true… We need to keep an eye on the extra amulet we keep hidden in the dollhouse. And nobody leaves their amulets anywhere, we should wear them at all times!" He said. The others nodded in agreement. 

"Come on." Iori said then, gesturing to the entrance to the secret study. "It won't do to dwell on what we can't change. Tsukumo knows they exist and we can't change that. But what we can do is make sure to keep the amulets safe and keep advancing through the tunnels. Then it will all work itself out." He declared. 

After that, all five of them entered the tunnels and made their way to the gap. "Okay, let's do this. Who wants to go first?" Sougo asked. They all looked at one another and then Iori sighed. "I can go first." He volunteered. The others nodded. Riku grabbed his hand for a split second. "Be careful." He said in concern. 

Iori smiled at his boyfriend and nodded. Then he walked up to the log, took a deep breath to steady his nerves, and then took his first step into the crocodile. He took two more steps and was then stood in front of the first pendulum. Iori counted the swings and got into the rhythm, then he took one big and decisive step forward. He was now stood between two pendulums. 

Iori could practically feel the tension rolling off his friends behind him, but he tried to ignore it as he kept going to the second pendulum. He walked past that one with the same ease as the first, but then stumbled and almost fell after getting past the third. Riku gasped, but relaxed once Iori righted himself. 

Taking another deep breath, Iori made his way past the fourth and final pendulum and then quickly crossed the reminder of the bridge. Once he was safely across on the other side, he sighed in relief and turned to the others with a smile on his face. "Okay, the next one can cross now!" 

This time, Riku volunteered to go across. He stumbled a bit at the first pendulum, but then he got into it and crossed the rest of the bridge without any difficulties, much to all of their relief. 

When he reached the other side, Riku quickly threw himself at Iori, relieved that they had both made it across safely. Iori responded by wrapping his arms around Riku's waist and pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

After that, the other three also crossed the gap, neither one having any big troubles to get across. They all cheered and high fiveed once they had all safely made it to the other side of the gap. The only thing to dampen their mood was that the pendulums were still swinging behind them. 

"Does that mean we have to go through that every time we want to keep going through these tunnels?" Tamaki asked in concern while pointing at the pendulums. "It seems that way… At least we know it's crossable now, so hopefully we won't be as nervous the next time. And who know? Maybe there is a switch or something to turn them off?" Riku speculated hopefully, still more happy about having made it across than worried about the still swinging pendulums. 

"For now, let's keep going, yeah?" Nagi suggested, pointing down the tunnels ahead of them. The others all nodded in agreement and then they all kept walking, leaving the hole behind them. 

However, they had not gotten far at all when the tunnels turned, and once they crossed the corner, they were met with nothing but a plain wall a few meters in front of them. "A dead end? But the tunnels are supposed to continue forward here according to the map!" Riku exclaimed dejectedly. 

"Let's look around for now, it could be like with the first puzzle, right? I'm sure there's a way to get rid of this wall, like a key or a switch or something." Iori speculated, trying to keep the others' hopes up. 

They all nodded and then started looking around. However, they searched for about half an hour and still found nothing. It was like any plain passage, but with no way forward. "What are we supposed to do now?" Riku asked troubled. 

Iori shook his head. "I think we should go back. Maybe we can find something on the map, or maybe the dollhouse will give us a new clue. Either way, I don't think we are going to find anything by just going over the same places again and again." He said. 

"I agree." Said Nagi. "Let's go back for now, see if we can find anything amongst what we already have. Then we can come back here tomorrow, whether we found something or not, and look at this part of the tunnels with fresh eyes." He suggested. 

"Okay, let's do that then." Riku said, but it was clear that he was disappointed. So, they all went back, carefully crossed the bridge and the pendulums again, and then made their way back to the house. Once again, they left the tunnels without a clear way forward. 

Everytime they made progress, it seemed like there was something new blocking them immediately. It was awfully tiring. Still, they would have to push on. What they had to lose if they failed was too important to just give up, even if it was tempting from time to time. This meant that they would soon be back in those godforsaken tunnels. 

Once again, Riku found himself twisting and turning in his bed that same night. He was troubled to say the least, so maybe it wasn't all that surprising that his sleep that night mirrored his mood. He couldn't even fully tell whether he was more awake or asleep. 

There was, of course, the whole issue with the curse that still lurks around every corner, constantly reminding him of what was at stake. Then there was the new dead end they discovered earlier that day. Even after they returned, none of them had been able to come up with a solution on how to go on from there. And, as the cherry on top, he was also stressed out about the fact that Tsukumo now knew about the tunnels, even if he couldn't enter them without being blinded. In other words, it was a lot going on. 

Riku sighed and turned around again. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to just get a few hours of sleep in, to be able to let all of his troubles go for one night. However, it seemed like tonight was not the night he would get this. This fact became especially clear when he heard an eerily familiar voice behind him. 

"You sleep soundly, boy." The spirit lady said and Riku whirled around to face her. He managed to swallow down the argument that he had not been sleeping soundly at all, fearing that it may anger her further. "Your closed off path does not trouble you?" The spirit asked. 

Riku sat up in his bed and frowned. "Of course it does! But I've got four other people helping me figure it out, so it's just a matter of time before-" He started. The spirit scoffed, effectively interrupting Riku. "Ah yes, your servants. Lazy, fearful creatures." She said, her voice degrading. It made Riku irritated to hear her talk about his friends like that, but once again, he was too afraid of her to argue. 

Then, the spirit smirked, a cold, cruel smile that sent shivers down Riku's spine. "Perhaps if you were not the only one forced to watch the time piece. Perhaps if they too shared the mark." The spirit said, making Riku's blood run cold in his veins. He suspected and dreaded what came next. 

The spirit was outright smiling now, holding out her palms for Riku to see. On each hand there was the Mark of Anubis, glowing eerily in the night. "I will bind them all to you!" She exclaimed. 

"Riku?" Someone questioned to the other end of the room, making Riku even more desperate for this to end. Nagi was sat up in his bed, looking both tired and confused. He must have woken from the sound of Riku talking. 

Nagi's eyes widened in shock as he saw the spirit standing by Riku's bedside. She grinned at him and then, in the blink of an eye, she had moved from Riku's bed to Nagi's. "No!" Riku screamed as the spirit reached out and snatched ahold of Nagi's right wrist, laughing maniacally all the while. 

Her laughter died down and then both Nagi and Riku both startled awake, properly this time. Riku looked over at Nagi with worry in his eyes, and Nagi met him with a worried gaze of his own. They had some sort of silent conversation between them, practically confirming that they had both just experienced the same thing. Riku kicked off his blanket and made his way over to Nagi's bed. "Are you okay? Does your wrist hurt? Is there a mark?" He asked quickly. 

Nagi, breathing heavily from the shock still, pulled back his right sleeve, revealing the skin of his wrist. Except it was no longer just pale, fair skin that met their eyes. On his wrist, right where his hand ended, there was a black tattoo of a jackal head, the same mark that donned Riku's right bicep. 

"I'm so sorry…" Riku mumbled, feeling like he was about to start crying. However, Riku didn't get a chance to start, nor did Nagi get a chance to reassure him, as there was a sudden erratic knocking on their door. 

"Come in!" Nagi answered, and the remaining three members of Sibuna walked in, looking just as bewildered as Riku and Nagi felt. Riku's face paled as he saw them, Tamaki and Sougo looking scared, while Iori looked more concerned. "Not you too?" Riku asked desperately, feeling like his entire world was about to implode from the guilt. 

In response, Tamaki and Sougo both pulled up their left pant legs. And sure enough, Tamaki had the mark on his left ankle while Sougo had it at the back of his left shin. Tamaki shuddered and opened his mouth to speak. "We're all cursed, aren't we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now they are all cursed... Oops. I hope you liked this chapter, and I'll be back with the next chapter on Wednesday! Thank you for reading, and thanks for leaving kudos and comments! ^^


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tamaki makes a discovery down in the tunnels while Tsukumo tries to come up with a way to get past that beam of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter ^^ Please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can contact me on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Now that all five of the Sibuna members bore the same mark, and were thus cursed, they were all eager to keep going. And so, they now found themselves back in the tunnels, searching the pathway for a way to proceed. Behind them, the pendulums were still swinging, and in front of them, the path was still blocked.

They were all enthusiastic to find a way to keep going, now that their lives were at stake and all. The only one who didn't seem all that into the search was Riku, who kept spacing out every now and then. This in turn also led to Iori being distracted. 

So, no one was surprised when he walked over to Riku, and no one spared them a second look, instead they continued to search. "Are you okay?" Iori asked in concern as he reached Riku, who had just been staring at a corner for a few minutes. 

Riku's eyes widened and he turned to look at Iori, he must not have heard him approaching. The redhead gave Iori a sad smile then. "I'm fine. I just… I really hoped that no one else would have to be cursed. And now all of our lives are at risk if we don't find this mask." He said dejectedly. 

Iori smiled reassuringly and grabbed Riku's hand. "We all knew the risk. And none of us ever wanted to back out. It's regrettable that we are all cursed, but we were aware that this could happen. And no matter what, you can't start blaming yourself. It's all that spirit's fault." He said. 

Riku nodded. "I know that, and I'm super grateful for all of you. What we have to do doesn't change, we still need to find the Mask of Anubis. It's just more important now than ever." He said. 

After that, Iori and Riku were pulled back to what was happening behind them by Tamaki releasing a loud groan. "Ugh! This is impossible! I swear, we would have more luck trying to break through the wall!" He exclaimed. 

And then they all saw Tamaki's face twist into the face they all recognized as the one he got when he had a bad idea. Alarmed, Iori took a step back. "Yotsuba-san, I don't think-" He started, but was interrupted by Tamaki yelling and running forward, colliding with the wall, only to fall backwards against another wall. 

They all winced as they saw Tamaki fall back, however, they didn't really have time to do anything as there was a strange sound as Tamaki hit a portion of another wall with his back. And then, much to their shock and delight, the pendulums swinging back and forth over the gap stopped. 

"Tamaki, what did you do?" Riku asked in awe, looking back and forth between the gap and his friend. "I think… there's a loose panel in the wall. And I hit it with my butt." Tamaki admitted sheepishly, rubbing his behind to try and ignore the pain from his fall. 

The others all looked at him, impressed, and then quickly ushered him to the side so they could inspect the panel. "He's right! There's a hatch here! It looks like the rest of the wall, so it was hard to notice." Sougo said. "When he pressed down on it, it must have deactivated the pendulums." Iori suggested. 

"What's inside?" Riku asked. "Only one way to find out." Answered Nagi, smirking as he carefully opened the hatch. They all frowned. "It's a tight, dark, dirt-filled passage." Tamaki noted, sounding disappointed. "Unlike the rest of these tunnels, this doesn't have a proper floor, ceiling or walls. It's just dirt." Iori added. 

"This could lead to the other side of that wall?" Sougo suggested, pointing at the dead end. Riku frowned. "I don't know… this hole is not on the map… Maybe there's something in there?" He then speculated. 

Tamaki shuddered. "Don't tell me we have to go in there… There are probably bugs, I don't do bugs." He said. Iori sighed. "Well, I don't think any of us are very keen on going in there, but someone has to." He said. "It's so tight, we won't all fit. Unless we crawl very far in." Riku commented. 

"Okay, so one of us gets to check it out first. Let's be fair and decide by a doing a draw." Nagi suggested, picking up five small pieces of sticks that lay on the ground. He then put all of them in his hand and held it out. "Shortest stick gets to crawl into the tunnel." 

Riku started, pulling out a fairly long stick. Iori went second, pulling out an equally long stick. Sougo was next, his stick was slightly shorter. Then Tamaki, whose stick was just a tad bit shorter than Sougo's. He looked pleadingly at Nagi, who showed his own stick which turned out to be the longest of them all. 

"No! I don't want to go!" Tamaki exclaimed. "Sorry, but we all had an equally big chance of drawing the shortest stick!" Nagi said. Tamaki pouted, and then begrudgingly crawled up to the tunnels. It was clear that he really did not want to do this, but he still started crawling into the tight passageway. Just a short while later, they heard a squeal from inside. 

"What's wrong?" Riku asked in concern. "There are bugs everywhere!" Tamaki called out. "Just try and ignore them!" Iori said, but Tamaki retaliated. "That's easy for you to say! You are not the one who has insects crawling all over you in a tight dirt passage!" 

Still Tamaki kept going. Soon, he saw something. "There is something here…! I see a lever or something! It's a few meters ahead of me!" He said. "Can you reach it?" Riku asked. 

It was silent for a while, and then Tamaki's response came. "No! It's too far and the tunnel gets smaller! I can just barely fit!" He said. "Try and keep going!" Nagi called out. "I… I can't! It feels like the tunnel is about to collapse! I think dirt is falling from the ceiling! It's hard to breathe in here…" Tamaki said. 

Riku looked at all the others in worry. "We have to get him out of there, I think he's about to have a panic attack!" He said. The others nodded, and then, without arguing, Sougo immediately crawled in after Tamaki. 

Nagi, Iori and Riku could hear Sougo saying reassuring things to Tamaki, and soon they both crawled out backwards. Tamaki tried to brush insects that were no longer there and dirt that most definitely was still there off of him. He then leaned back against the wall and took some deep breaths. 

"You guys… I think I might be claustrophobic." He said, a small, joking smile on his face that relieved all of them. It didn't seem like Tamaki was all too shaken up by what had just happened if he was trying to make jokes. 

"Maybe we should come back to this once we have collected ourselves a bit?" Sougo suggested, placing a comforting hand on Tamaki's shoulder. Tamaki nodded enthusiastically, and the others also agreed. And with that, they left the tunnels once again. 

Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo were gathered in Riku and Nagi's room. For a while now, no one had said anything. They all just sat there, staring at the ground and trying to think what this new tunnel meant for them. 

It was Tamaki who spoke first, having collected himself from his crawl through the tunnel. "There was a lever at the end of that crawl space. I bet that's how we get past the dead end. Crawl through the path to the end and pull the lever." He said. 

Iori nodded. "Yes, that seems likely." He agreed. "There's only one problem." Riku said. "Between us and that lever is a fairly long, very tight tunnel. The walls, floor and ceiling is all made of dirt and doesn't seem that secure. It could collapse at any moment. On top of that, it's also full with insects, spiders, and worms." He pointed out, shivering at the thought. 

"Yeah… It's not exactly going to be pleasant." Nagi agreed with a shudder of his own. "Still, we have to do it we want to advance. And now it is more important than ever, since we all carry the curse." Iori said. 

Riku nodded, albeit reluctantly. "We need to go back there soon and clear that tunnel. But I think we could all use some time to just collect ourselves, gather some courage. I think we should wait until tomorrow, we can go once we come back from school." He said. 

The others all nodded, agreeing to Riku's idea. After that, Sougo and Tamaki left. Sougo had wanted to talk to Tamaki about what happened back in the tunnel, to try and make it feel better. Meanwhile, Iori stayed in Riku and Nagi's room, seeking comfort himself. No one said it, but they were all shaken up by what happened to Tamaki. 

Sighing, Vera walked out of Tsukumo's office and down the stairs. The caretakerhad wanted to tell her that his sight was returning. She had been shocked to say the least when the caretaker had sought her out, saying he couldn't see. She had, of course, been glad that he had found out about the tunnels, but concerned about the trap at the entrance. 

Vera also remembered how, when she just got to Anubis House, one of the students, Yotsuba Tamaki, had experienced something similar. It must have been around that time that the kids found the tunnels. And since they no longer came back blinded, they must have found a way to get past the beam of light. Vera would have to watch them more carefully. 

When she got into the kitchen, she found she was not alone. Over by the fridge stood one of the students, the same one who had been blinded before, Yotsuba Tamaki. He seemed to be thinking about what to snack on, which wasn't that different from what he usually did. However, something that's was different was how he was distractedly fiddling with something around his neck. 

Vera frowned, it wasn't often that you found Tamaki this deep in thought. She cleared her throat to attract his attention, and so he turned around."Oh, Vera… Do we have something especially yummy? Sou-chan says I should indulge myself tonight to forget about my trauma." He said. 

Vera raised an eyebrow. _'Is this about the tunnels? Did something happen down there? We will need to be careful if we ever get down there.'_ She thought. "Oh yeah, I just bought some more pudding that I was just about to bring inside. That's your favorite, right?" She asked kindly. 

Tamaki's eyes widened in delight. "I would love that! Thanks!" He said. It was then that Vera got her first good look at what the boy had been fiddling with. And she had to really restrain herself to not stare in awe at it. It looked like something that should belong in a museum. 

Vera recalled then how Akihiko had told her a while ago that the children had asked him about amulets, which offer protection. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots. Those amulets where how they were getting past the beam in the tunnels. 

Vera forced a smile onto her face then. "Well, let me just go get them from my car then." She said and Tamaki nodded. Vera got the pudding and left the young boy alone with it. Then she hurriedly made her way back up to Tsukumo's office. 

Tsukumo motioned for her to enter, so that is what she did. She didn't waste any time and immediately got to the point. "I know how the kids get past the first trap." She said and enjoyed watching Tsukumo's eyes widen in wonder. "Seriously? How do they do it?" He asked eagerly. 

Vera smirked. "Amulets. Tokens of protection. The kids wear them as necklaces around their neck. I bet those protect them from the beam." She explained. Tsukumo nodded thoughtfully, then a smile took over his face. "Good… This is really good." He said. Vera smiled in agreement. "Now we just need to come up with a way to get the amulets off those brats." She said. 

Tsukumo smirked. "Oh, you leave that part to me. I already have a plan on how to get my hands on those amulets. The children won't see it coming." He said, and Vera couldn't deny that his confidence was reassuring. She would leave this one to Tsukumo. 

The next day in school, Riku and the other four had met up for lunch. They had done so in an empty classroom so that they could be left alone and talk about their quest. It was the first time they had all been alone together since last night. 

"So," started Riku. "How do we feel about trying to go through the tunnel tonight?" He asked. Tamaki shuddered at the thought. "I'd rather not go again." He admitted, after which Sougo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That's fine, Tamaki-kun. You already tried, so I think it is only fair that someone else gets to try it tonight." He said. When the others nodded, Tamaki visibly relaxed. 

"We need to be able to keep going soon, or we might get to meet our favourite spirit again." Iori said. Riku smiled sadly. "And we would really like to avoid that. I think we have to be ready to go back down there tonight." He said. Nagi, Sougo and Tamaki nodded. It was obvious that no one wanted to crawl into the tight passageway, but at least they all agreed on the fact that it was something that needed to be done. 

Then, they were all suddenly interrupted by the door opening and two familiar figures walking into the classroom. It was Tsukumo and the headmaster. "Ah, there you are." Soususke said. "I'm walking around the school, talking to all the students. As you should know, we have a dress code here at the school, and I believe we have been slacking a bit with keeping it up." He then explained. 

The five students all looked at each other in confusion. "And now with the exhibition here and all, I think it's about time that we checked our students to be sure they uphold it." Sousuke added before walking up to the five boys. "All accessories that were not provided by the school are strictly forbidden and must be removed at once. With the exception of glasses and wristwatches, as long as they don't have any offensive imagery on them." He said flatly. 

The five boys' eyes all widened as they realized what this meant. The amulets. They all stared at each other in concern for a while before slowly starting to remove whatever accessories that weren't the amulets. They grew really concerned when Sousuke still held his hand out expectantly. 

Tsukumo took a step forward. "All accessories. And for those who do not comply, detention for a month, and we will contact your parents." He said. Nagi opened his mouth to argue that it was too harsh for just breaking dress code, but one pointed look from the headmaster stopped him. It said that they were completely serious and would not change their minds. 

Not wanting to get in trouble, Riku was the first one to give in. He sighed, removed the amulet from around his neck, and handed it over to Sousuke. He was really glad that he had at least decided to leave Sara's locket at home that day. 

After Riku had given his amulet away, the others followed suit, though they were not happy about it. Sousuke seemed pleased and handed all the accessories over to Tsukumo. "Thank you. Tsukumo, can you go place those in the box in my office?" He asked, after which Tsukumo nodded and left the room. The five Sibuna members all looked after him desperately. 

Before leaving himself, the headmaster turned back to them. "You may stop by my office once the school day comes to an end to retrieve your things." He said. The boys nodded, and then the older man left. 

Riku turned around and faced the others, looking really concerned. "What do we do now? Tsukumo took our amulets! Now we can't go back into the tunnels to finish the latest task! And he can now get past the beam of light!" He exclaimed. 

"We still have the spare." Tamaki pointed out, trying to stay positive. "Yeah, but that means only one of us can enter the tunnels. And I really don't think we should send anyone into that crawl space while no one is there to help them out if something goes wrong. Which means we can't advance through the tunnels either way." Riku argued. 

Iori reached up and grabbed Riku's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "I agree, it's not safe to send anyone down there alone. The last time someone entered alone, Riku was almost pushed down into the gap. It's just not safe to go down there by yourself." He said. Tamaki sighed but nodded as he recalled what happened when Riku went to the tunnels alone. And what could have happened if he and Iori had not found him in time. 

"We have to get them back." Iori declared. "But how do we do that?" Riku asked desperately. Iori shrugged. "I don't know yet. But we'll come up with something, we always do! Besides, it's not the first time we've had to retrieve something from Tsukumo." He said with a smirk. 

The others nodded. For better or worse, the new tunnel would have to wait. Now, they needed to come up with a plan on how to get their amulets back from Tsukumo. 

Tsukumo smiled triumphantly as he left the school. He had left all other accessories and now the only ones left in his possession were the five amulets he had gotten from the kids. Not only would he now be able to enter the tunnels without going blind, but he had effectively stopped the students from entering again. 

Tsukumo soon returned to the near empty house and immediately went to find Vera, the only one there at the moment. He wanted to show her the amulets, she would be ecstatic that he had gotten his hands on them. 

He found her quickly and wasted no time to walk up to her. Vera spotted him and smiled sweetly at him in greeting. Tsukumo smirked and, without a word, held out the amulets. Vera's eyes widened in response. "You got them! But how?" She asked amazed. 

Tsukumo simply shrugged her off. "That's not important. But this means that we can now enter the tunnels! I plan to go down there now, do you want to join me?" He asked. 

Vera seemed to consider it for a while. "Maybe some other time." She then answered. "You go ahead, I'll meet you in the secret study once I finish up out here." She then added. 

Tsukumo nodded and then left for the cellar. He quickly entered the study, placed all five of the amulets around his neck for good measure, and pulled out the marked book, opening the passage into the tunnels. 

Just like last time, the beam of light hit him just as the way back into the study closed behind him. Despite what they knew about the amulets, Tsukumo was still nervous. He had to see whether or not they worked for himself before he could truly relax. So, when the beam came up to his chest and then deactivated the moment it made contact with the amulets, Tsukumo cheered quietly to himself. He had successfully entered the secret tunnels. 

Wasting no time, Tsukumo started to make his way through the dark and dusty hallways. He still found it hard to believe that all of this was hidden underneath the house. He had no idea how the Watanabes had succeeded in building this place, it was very impressive. 

Tsukumo stopped at a few places along the way. First, at the bookshelf that stood in an alcove off to the side where the books spelled out the name 'Watanabe Ritsu'. Then at a piece of the tunnels where the floor was marked by different animals. _'These are the tasks that the brats must have succeded already. I should have anticipated that Ritsu would not have made it easy to reach the end.'_ He thought to himself. 

Soon, Tsukumo reached a gap. He was a bit wary about crossing it, it looked like there was an awfully long way down to the bottom, after all. Still, he needed to press on, and so he crossed it. However, that was where his journey ended, for shortly after he had crossed the gap, Tsukumo found himself face to face with a wall. He had reached a dead end. 

"This must be how far those kids have gotten so far." He said. "Well, if they can find their way through these tunnels, then so can I." He then exclaimed before he started looking around, searching for a way to keep going from where he were. 

Sighing, Vera ended her call and put her phone away. She had been talking to her employer, The Collector, telling him about the new developments she had made. She had declined Tsukumo not because she wanted to, but because she needed to be careful. She needed to remember that she had her own agenda. 

But now she was truly curious about what was down there. At the very least, she could go down and check out the study without Tsukumo looking over her shoulder. Maybe she would find something important. 

So, Vera carefully made her way down there and entered the secret room. When she saw that Tsukumo had not yet returned, she smiled to herself and started looking through the many strange things in there. 

When she got to the desk and opened the top drawer, she raised an eyebrow in suspicion. The bottom of this drawer was in a different type of wood than the rest of the desk. That was strange, very strange. It was almost as if it had been placed there later, because not only was it different, but it looked newer. Not by much necessarily, it was still very old, but not quite as antique as the rest of the desk. 

Finding it very suspicious, Vera started fiddling with it, and sure enough, it was a fake bottom. Beneath it was a brown, leather bound book. When she picked it up to get a closer look, her eyes widened in awe. On the cover, there was a pair of golden wings drawn, and beneath it, there was golden writing. "The Book of Isis…" Vera read out loud. 

Vera knew that this was what Tsukumo had been looking for, but she still wasn't sure why. She had asked The Collector about it, and while he had confirmed that it was valuable, he had also claimed that it was not something he needed. He claimed that he already had all the information that the book provided. 

Vera started flipping through the book, though she soon realized that this was one book that she would never be able to read. Apart from the writing on the cover, all the text was written in hieroglyphics. Still, even without being able to understand anything, she could recognize that the book was a magnificent object. 

When she reached what she presumed was the final chapter in the book, she gasped. Right there on the page was what she had come to know as the Mark of Anubis. The same mark that symbolized the place where the real treasure was hidden. 

Upon seeing it, she also recalled one final thing that The Collector had told her. He had said that it would be to their disadvantage if Tsukumo found the final chapter, for it was within that chapter that the secrets he sought were. 

Vera hesitated for a second, then she decided what she could do to appease both Tsukumo and The Collector. She swiftly ripped out the entire final chapter and placed the papers in her bag. Then she closed the book and held it under her arm. She would give the remaining book to Tsukumo. 

And she was just in time, for the moment she finished, she heard something behind her and saw one of the bookshelves spin around, making Tsukumo return to the room. He smiled as he saw Vera. "Good! You are here! Those tunnels are magnificent! There is no doubt in my mind that they must lead to something precious." He exclaimed. 

Vera smiled and nodded. "Did you find anything?" She then asked. Tsukumo frowned then. "No, just a dead end. I'm not sure how to get past it yet, I shall need some time to figure it out." He answered. Vera smirked. "Well, not to worry. For I have found something in here, something big." She declared. 

Tsukumo raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. Then, Vera brought out the book, minus the final chapter, and proudly presented it to Tsukumo, whose eyes widened in wonder. "The Book of Isis… You found it! This is truly remarkable! I must start deciphering it at once!" He said, grabbing the book and leaving the room. 

Vera stared after him in bewilderment. He had left her behind so suddenly, almost like a child who had received a new toy. Still, her plan had worked. And with that, she left the room and went back to the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukumo has the amulets! AND the Book of Isis! What will Sibuna do next? I'll be back on Saturday with the next chapter, so stay tuned ^^ Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it. And thank you for all the kudos and comments. <3


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna tries to come up with a way to get their amulets back from Tsukumo. Meanwhile, Gaku needs Tenn and Ryuu's help with something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter, I hope you guys will like it! If you have anyquestions or want to talk to me, you can contact me on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

Iori sighed as he finally finished helping Vera with the dishes that evening. It had been his turn to do the chores, so he had left the others alone to do that. But now he was happy to return to Riku and the others, they needed to come up with an idea on how to get the amulets back, after all.

They had gone to the headmaster's office after school let out to try and get them back, but the five amulets had not been in there. This left one option. Tsukumo had figured out what they were for and took them for himself. 

Iori especially knew that Tsukumo had them, because while he and Vera were cleaning up the kitchen, Tsukumo had entered to talk to the housemother about something. And at that very moment, Iori spotted something. He saw what he recognized as five leather strings along the back of Tsukumo's neck, confirming that he had not only taken the amulets, he was also wearing all five of them. 

Still thinking about what they could possibly do about it, Iori walked over to the couches in the living room, where the other four were sat, and joined them. He sat himself down in the space between Tamaki and Riku, ignoring the look Tamaki gave him as he scooted over to make room for Iori next to Riku. 

"Have you figured something out?" He started by asking. However, they all dejectedly shook their heads, telling him they hadn't come up with a plan while he was helping Vera cleaning the kitchen. "No, it would be easier if we knew where he kept them, but we just know that Tsukumo took them." Sougo explained. 

"Actually," started Iori when he heard that. "I think Tsukumo is wearing them. All five of them. I saw the leather strings sticking up in the back of his shirt when he was in the kitchen earlier." He explained. 

Riku sighed. "Then how are we going to get them back? He'll definitely notice if we take them if he's wearing them all the time!" He declared, clearly feeling a bit desperate. Iori understood his feelings, after all, all of their lives were at stake if they failed to get these amulets back. 

Luckily, Iori had an idea. "If he's not going to take them off, then we just have to take them when he won't notice!" He said. The others just stared at him in confusion, so Iori continued to explain his idea. "We will just have to take them when Tsukumo is asleep." 

The other four looked a bit skeptical. "Have you ever seen that man sleep?" Tamaki asked in disbelief. Iori rolled his eyes. "No, but tonight, we'll make sure he's more tired than he's ever been before." He said smugly. Nagi raised an eyebrow in question. "Please, do explain." 

Iori leaned forward, as did the others, so that he could share his plan and be sure no one overheard. "Tonight, we are going to sneak around the house. Only, this time our goal is to be caught. If we get caught multiple times and interrupt his sleep, he'll just get more and more tired. And then, when he really goes to sleep, we'll take the amulets off of him." 

Riku leaned back and smiled brightly at Iori. "That's a really good idea! I say we do it!" He declared. The others nodded in agreement. "Then we have a plan! Way to go, Iorin!" Tamaki exclaimed happily, hitting Iori's back with the palm of his hand and grinning wildly. 

Riku smiled up at Iori as well. "Yeah, thank you for coming up with that so quick." He said and leaned in, placing a quick kiss at the corner of Iori's mouth. Iori blushed, but also smiled and then returned the favour, placing a second kiss on Riku's mouth. 

At the other end of the room, unbeknownst to Riku and Iori, someone was watching them intently. At the dining table, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn were sat, the latter watching as his brother reached out and kissed Iori. Tenn wanted to gag. 

He must have really been sending death glares their way, because not only was Ryuu trying to get him to stop, even Gaku joined in. "You know, you really should find something better to do with your spare time than to glare daggers at the younger Izumi. Your overprotective-older-brother-ways are getting annoying to deal with." He complained. 

Tenn scoffed and turned to glare at Gaku instead, although there was significantly less dislike in his eyes now. It was mostly just irritation. "It's none of your business what I do with my spare time." He answered. 

Gaku rolled his eyes at that answer. "Then it's none of your business what your brother and his boyfriend does. I don't know what you have against them, the younger Izumi is probably the one in this entire school who cares the most about Riku." He said. When Tenn's glare grew colder, Gaku realized his mistake and quickly corrected it. "Other than you, perhaps." 

Tenn relaxed a bit, but he still glanced over at Iori and Riku in annoyance every other second. The two had now gone from kissing to simply leaning against one another while holding hands and talking to the rest of their little group. It was innocent enough, which Gaku assumed was why Tenn's glare wasn't quite as intense. 

Soon though, Gaku grew tired of this behavior as well. "Look, you need to leave the two of them alone for a while. What you need is a distraction." He said. Ryuu perked up at that. "Oh yes! We should do something together to try and get Tenn's mind off things! It's been a while since we went out and did something fun." He said happily. 

Tenn turned to Gaku and Ryuu and gave them a look as if to say 'go on'. Gaku smirked, now that he had gotten Ryuu aboard on the idea, he knew Tenn would have a hard time declining, he didn't like to say no to him. Then again, neither did Gaku. 

"Lucky for you, I happen to have the perfect distraction." Gaku said, receiving a disbelieving look from Tenn. He didn't feel deterred by it though, and kept going. "I need your help with something. Both of you." He said, now having earned both Tenn and Ryuu's full attention. After all, it wasn't that often that Gaku asked for help. 

"The other day when I went home with dad for once, I found some of his old notes from his school days. Turns out, he was also a student here at the school. Anyway, he wrote about how he had one regret upon leaving. Something about a trophy he had won for the school, and a priceless gem that was stolen from the trophy. He had been meaning to find it, but never did." Gaku explained. 

Ryuu and Tenn both seemed a bit confused at this. "So what?" Tenn asked. "So! I want us to complete what he started! I want us to find the stolen gem!" He said. "But that was years ago! How would we even start?" Ryuu asked. 

Gaku smirked. "My dad wrote something about the gem having been hidden in a suit of armor. And I swear, I saw one of those in the Watanabe Library the other day! I want you to sneak in there with me tomorrow morning and look for it." He explained. 

Tenn and Ryuu looked at each other, but then they gave in and nodded. "I guess looking for an old gem in a suit of armor will take my mind off things." Tenn said. "And we get to help you and your dad out! This is quite exciting!" Ryuu declared. Gaku smiled, happy that he had gotten his two friends on board. "Then we leave early tomorrow morning." He declared, a smug and pleased look on his face. 

As evening arrived, Iori and Tamaki quickly and carefully made their way over to Riku and Nagi's room. Tsukumo would soon announce the 10 o'clock curfew, so they had decided that it would be best just to wait in the same room. Sougo would have to join them later, once his own roommates fell asleep. 

The four friends were playing a card game when Sougo entered shortly before 11 PM. They had decided to wait until midnight to start their distractions, as they knew that Tsukumo tended to be up until then either way. And so, they waited a bit longer. 

When the clock hit midnight, Tamaki stood up and declared that he would go first. As he sneaked down the stairs, he could see that Tsukumo was still awake in his office, but he was already yawning and looked as if he was about to finish whatever it was he was doing. 

Once he got downstairs, Tamaki opened the front door to the house and stepped out onto the porch. They had a lamp out there that sensed movement, and so it turned on by itself once Tamaki opened the door. He then rang the doorbell once, twice, and even more times. Once he thought he heard the sound of someone coming down the stairs, he quickly ran off and rounded the corner of the house. 

Tamaki peeked out from behind the corner just as Tsukumo opened the door and angrily asked who was there. When he saw no one, he groaned in annoyance and went back inside. Tamaki smiled triumphantly and made his way back inside, this time using the back door. "Point one, Sibuna." He said. 

Shortly after Tamaki's return, it was Nagi's turn to go create a distraction. He remembered how last term, Tsukumo had slipped on a loose floorboard in the staircase. He had later learned that it had been because Iori and Riku had found a clue there earlier that night. And now he planned to utilize it again. 

So, Nagi quickly found the right step, tore up the carpet that covered the staircase and picked up the loose floorboard, only to put it back in askew. Once that was done, he put the carpet back and ran down the stairs, making a point by stomping really loudly as he descended. He then slammed the door to the living room for good measure before hiding in Iori and Tamaki's room. 

Sure enough, Tsukumo soon came down the stairs. And, much to Nagi's delight, he slipped and fell on the loose floorboard. Even though Nagi only had a small crack open in the door, he still heard Tsukumo cursing angrily to himself. 

Once Tsukumo had left again, Nagi exited the room and headed back. "Point two, Sibuna." He exclaimed proudly before joining the others again. 

Next up was Iori and Riku, who had decided to go together. It was almost 1 AM by now and when they passed Tsukumo's office, they could see that he was starting to doze off. Once they had safely passed the office, the two made their way into the kitchen, as if they were on a midnight snack mission. 

Except, this time they were not planning on getting any food. They left the door to the kitchen open so that the sound would travel easier. And then, the couple grabbed a plate each, and Iori also grabbed a glass. They felt a little bad for what they were about to do, but they told themselves it was for a good cause. And so, without further ado, they threw the porcelain and the glass as hard as they could into the floor, making it break apart into a hundred pieces. 

Iori and Riku quickly rushed to hide in a cupboard as they heard footsteps. And when Tsukumo entered the kitchen this time, he actually looked angry, not just irritated. He sighed and cursed whatever brat had done this and then he begrudgingly began to clean up the mess. 

Inside the cupboard, Riku looked at Iori and mouthed, "Point three." Which Iori followed up by mouthing, "Sibuna." in reply. They the waited for Tsukumo to leave before exiting the cupboard and going back up to Riku and Nagi's bedroom. 

Finally, it was Sougo's turn. Sougo had earlier that afternoon managed to set up some of his speakers down in the living room. He could control them from his phone, so he hid safely in the storage underneath the staircase so that he could keep and eye on what was going on in there. 

Sougo looked through his playlist before he found the perfect song and smirked. He then pressed play and a heavy metal song started playing loudly from the speakers. He couldn't help but snicker as Tsukumo came down the stairs, his ears covered and his expression filled with rage. If he didn't look so tired, he would have looked ready to kill someone. 

Once he got to the living room, Sougo turned off the music so that Tsukumo wouldn't be able to find his speakers. Tsukumo looked around, trying to see who had been causing the sound. When he still hadn't found anyone by the time he let out a yawn, he gave up and begrudgingly headed back to his office. 

As he watched Tsukumo leave, Sougo whispered to himself. "Point four, Sibuna." He then waited another few minutes before returning upstairs and joining the others. 

"So," started Sougo once he joined the rest back in the bedroom. "Tsukumo looked really tired by now, he even gave up on searching for whoever was responsible really quick. I think we've done enough." He declared. 

The others smiled and high-fived. "Now, all we have to do is wait to make sure he really falls asleep." Iori said. Tamaki nodded. "So, we just have to stay awake? Cool! It'll be like a sleepover! We can play games!" He said. "We do need to be quiet this time though." Riku pointed out. 

In the end, they didn't play any games. They all either sat down or lay down somewhere around the room and talked. At first, they were all discussing things related to the quest, but then they all started talking about their own thing with each other. 

It soon became evident that they were all becoming tired, and it wasn't long until the only ones still awake were Iori and Riku. Riku was laying on his side in his own bed while Iori was sat on the floor, leaning against the bed and holding onto Riku's hand. They had started reminiscing about stuff that happened last term. 

"I can't believe Nagi remembered about that loose floorboard in the staircase! That was back when only you and I knew what was going on in the house." Riku said. 

Iori nodded. "Yeah, and we were so close to being discovered by Tsukumo as well." He said. 

Riku chuckled. "We have had way too many close calls since we started looking for treasure in the house! And then there were the times when we were actually discovered…" He said, yawning at the end, a clear sign that he was also getting tired. 

"Like the time when we checked the telescope to find one of the final riddles leading to the cup." Iori mentioned as an example and Riku hummed in agreement. "Or the time Tsukumo and the headmaster found us that first time we went to the Watanabe Library." Iori then mentioned another example. 

"Mm… That was our first date… Wasn't it?" Riku asked, his words slurring together, he was so tired. 

"It kind of was… At least since we became a couple. We did say that the end of term party was a date, didn't we?" Iori asked, but he got no reply. Still, he smiled thinking back on it. "We should do that again. Going on a date I mean." Iori then stated. When he received no answer he turned around. "Riku?" He asked, only to see that the redhead had fallen asleep. 

Iori smiled fondly at how peaceful and innocent Riku looked as he slept. He then readjusted how he sat and brought Riku's knuckles up to his mouth and placed a light kiss there. Then he leaned his head on the bed and closed his eyes… 

...only to realize that they couldn't fall asleep! Iori startled back awake and quickly sat up, shaking his head to try and clear away some drowsiness. He then shook Riku's arm gently to try and wake him. "Riku, we have to go and check on Tsukumo." He said. 

Riku groaned but opened his eyes. Then he realized what they were doing and shot up, now sitting at the edge of the bed. "Shit… How long did I sleep?" He asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

Iori smiled and stood up. "Don't worry, it was only about five minutes." He said and Riku nodded in relief. Then they looked out over their sleeping friends and shared a look that said 'let's leave them to sleep'. Then they left. 

When the pair reached Tsukumo's office, they were really happy to see Tsukumo asleep in his chair, his head resting against the surface of his desk with a small pool of drool starting to form. Even through the door, they could hear his snores. "He's fast asleep." Iori whispered with a smile on his face. 

Riku smiled back and nodded. "Yeah! Your plan worked!" He exclaimed quietly before leaning up and placing a quick kiss on Iori's cheek. 

After that, the two boys carefully entered the room, being very careful not to make any sound or knock anything over. They walked over so that they were stood behind the chair Tsukumo slept in. Looking down, Iori and Riku could see the five amulets hanging around his neck. 

"Scissors?" Iori asked and held out his hand. Riku nodded and handed Iori a pair of scissors he had brought with him from his room. Iori then carefully used his hand to lift the amulets and place the strings in between the blades of the scissor. 

Right then, Tsukumo let out an extra loud snore that made both Iori and Riku tense up, but luckily the older man stayed asleep. Iori sighed in relief and then started cutting into the leather strings. One by one, they snapped and each time Iori cringed at the sound it made, afraid it would wake Tsukumo up. 

But Tsukumo stayed asleep, he must have really been tired. Once Iori cut the fifth and final string, he held up the amulets with one hand and handed the scissors back to Riku with the other. He then used both hands to bring the strings around Tsukumo's neck and lift them up. 

Iori gathered the five amulets in his hands and motioned for Riku to leave the room. Then the two of them left, just as carefully as before so as not to wake Tsukumo up and be caught red-handed. Once they were safely out of the office and in the hallway outside Riku's room, they turned to each other and smiled. 

"We did it! We got them back!" Riku exclaimed happily. Iori held up the amulets so that they could see them clearly. "We did! Now we can go back into the tunnels." Iori said, sounding pleased. 

Riku nodded and was about to say something else when he was interrupted by a yawn. Iori smiled fondly. "And on that note, I think it's about time we both got some sleep. I'll just go collect Yotsuba-san." Iori said. Riku smiled tiredly and nodded in agreement. 

And so, Riku took and hid the amulets while Iori tried to wake Tamaki. In the end, Iori had to half carry, half drag his roomate, which wasn't the easiest thing considering that Tamaki was both taller and heavier than Iori. Riku chuckled and said goodnight as they left and then he also went to sleep. Now that the amulets we're back, he felt like he could fully relax. 

It was only a few hours after Sibuna retrieved the amulets people were sneaking through the house again. However, this time, it wasn't the five Sibuna members. It was Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn. It was currently 4:30 AM and they were just about to leave the house so that they would have enough time to look through the Watanabe Library before anyone else arrived. 

Sneaking out of the room had not been any problem, seeing as the three friends shared a bedroom and didn't risk disturbing anyone else. They then quietly left the house, being careful so that no one would hear them leave. And soon, they were outside in the cool morning air. 

"Come on, the sooner we get there, the more time we'll have to look around." Gaku said, gesturing for the other two to follow him down the road that would take them to the library. "One thing that bothers me…" started Ryuu, looking slightly concerned. "How are we supposed to get in? Won't it be locked? And there will surely be an alarm, right?" He asked. 

Gaku smirked and held up a pair of keys triumphantly. "I swiped the keys off my dad yesterday after school. Since the door will be unlocked, the alarm will only activate if we touch any of the displays. So we should be fine." He explained. 

Tenn rolled his eyes. "So, don't touch any displays. Got it." He said. Gaku smiled smugly. "Knew I could rely on you, brat." He said, making Tenn laugh out loud. "I think that is the nicest thing you have ever said to me. And you still called me a brat." He replied. 

Off to the side, Ryuu watched the two fondly. "This is nice. I've missed doing things together." He said. "Hopefully, we won't have to break any rules next time." Tenn commented, making all of them laugh together. 

When they reached the Watanabe Library about 15 minutes later, the atmosphere suddenly turned serious once again. Gaku pulled out the key to the building and unlocked the heavy wooden door. They then opened it and went inside. 

It was dark, but they didn't want to risk anyone seeing them in there, so they left the lights off. Instead, they used some simple flashlights to look around the place. "Okay, so we're looking for a suit of armor?" Tenn wanted to confirm. 

Gaku nodded. "Yeah, a classic, western suit of armour. It's supposed to be here somewhere… I'm not sure where exactly though." He clarified. "Well, let's split up and search for it then, shall we?" Ryuu suggested, and both Gaku and Tenn nodded in agreement. 

After that, they split up and looked through the entire library. Ryuu had ascended the stairs and checked out the second floor while Tenn and Gaku stayed on the first floor and searched in between the many displays and bookshelves. However, no matter how much they searched, no armor could be found. They even went over every part of the building twice, but still they found no armor. 

Tenn sighed. "Okay, let's face it. There's no armor in here." He said. Gaku groaned and was about to argue, but Ryuu beat him to it. "Tenn is right. The armor is clearly not in here anymore." He said. 

Begrudgingly, Gaku nodded. "Fine, but what do you suppose happened to it?" He asked. "Maybe it was cleaned away when we were preparing for the bid? I didn't do that much cleaning so I wouldn't know." Tenn suggested. 

Gaku frowned. "I hope not." He said. Ryuu then placed a hand on his grey-haired friend's shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't give up now Gaku. Maybe the suit of armor was just moved somewhere else temporarily while the exhibition is here. We'll just have to keep looking." He said. 

Tenn smirked and nodded. "Yeah, now that you got us involved, you're not getting rid of us. We'll find this armor sooner or later, then get that gem back." He declared. 

Gaku grinned happily. "I like the sound of that." He said. After that, the three friends left the library and locked the door behind them. They then headed back to the house before anyone would notice their absence. Despite not having had much luck that morning, their spirits were still high and they were determined to find this suit of armor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so, we're starting this little side-quest/side-story with TRIGGER! I'm excited for it and hope that you guys are too. I'll be back with the next chapter on Wednesday, so look forward to that. Thanks for reading, and also thank you to those who leaves kudos and comments! <3<3


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukumo wakes up to find the amulets gone and Sibuna can finally get back into the tunnels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me about anything, you can do so over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

Tsukumo woke up with a sigh. It had been a long time since he had slept so soundly. He blamed it entirely on whatever brats had been up and about last night, their ruckus had kept him up and made him very tired. If he ever found out who it was, he would be sure to have a punishment ready for them.

Now that he was awake, he tried to blink the sleep from his eyes and get his bearings. He looked at the clock, which read 10:14. Tsukumo frowned, he didn't like to sleep in, it meant there was less time for more important things during the day. Such as his research into the Book of Isis. 

The book lay on his desk and in a sea of notes that he had made trying to decipher it. Translating this much unaltered ancient Egyptian turned out to be more tricky thanks had expected, especially with his previous knowledge on the subject. On top of that, there was something strange about the book. 

He didn't get more time to dwell on it though, as he scratched the back of his neck and noticed that something was missing. Tsukumo frantically opened his shirt and looked down at his chest, and sure enough, there were no amulets there. He started looking around his desk and the floor, thinking he might have dropped them in last night's chaos. However, they were nowhere to be found. 

"NO!" Tsukumo yelled angrily. The yell was so loud that Vera came running from the first floor, looking concerned as she opened the door. "What's wrong? What happened?" She asked. Tsukumo was breathing heavily to try and calm down before he answered her. "The amulets! They are gone!" He said. 

Vera frowned. "Gone? Did you lose them?" She asked. Tsukumo shook his head. "Of course I didn't lose them! They are too important!" He answered in annoyance. "It was those brats! The children took them!" He said angrily. 

Vera quickly put her hands on Tsukumo's shoulders and pushed him back into his chair, trying to get him to calm down. "Relax, maybe this was for the best! Those tunnels seem so awfully dangerous, maybe we should let the children do all of the hard work for us. And then, when they are about to reach the end, we'll make our move and take it all from them!" She suggested. 

Tsukumo took a few deep breaths, then looked up and met Vera's steady gaze. "Let them do the work?" He asked. Vera smiled and nodded. "Yes. We'll wait and observe. They won't even have time to realize what happened when we have swooped down and taken everything they worked so hard for!" She said. 

Tsukumo nodded, feeling a lot calmer now than he did before. "Yes… That might work…" He agreed. "It will, I ensure you." Vera said. "Besides, we have another advantage over them." She then said with a wink. Tsukumo frowned as if asking what that was. "We have the Book of Isis!" Vera clarified. 

Tsukumo's eyes widened. "About the Book of Isis!" He suddenly exclaimed. "There was something off about it... It was missing a portion, the final, and what I believe to be the most important chapter. It looked like it had been torn out! I bet those kids have that too!" He explained. 

Vera shook her head. "That certainly poses as a problem…" She said, though she averted her gaze as she did, afraid she might not seem genuine in Tsukumo's eyes. After all, Vera was the one who had the final chapter. It was currently hidden in her desk in the guestroom up in the house's attic. 

Then, once she was sure she had collected herself, Vera turned back to Tsukumo. "Tell you what, let me search their rooms! I'll see if I can find that final chapter, or anything else of importance. They won't find it suspicious if I am in their rooms, after all." She suggested. 

Tsukumo nodded thoughtfully. "Yes… that will work." He said. Then he smiled and reached out and grabbed ahold of Vera's hand. "Things are so much better now that you are here. Easier." He said. 

Vera smiled and laughed charmingly before excusing herself. As she left, her smile turned smug as she whispered so that the caretaker couldn't hear. "I finally have you fully wrapped around my finger. You won't ever see that final chapter if I have a say in it…" 

Gaku hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what he, Ryuu and Tenn had done earlier that morning. He had tried to focus on other things, like the conversations around him or his lectures, but nothing worked. His mind was well and fully consumed by thoughts of the armor, the gem and what it all had to do with his father. He would not normally go this far to do something for his dad, but this was different. This intrigued him. Something that also seemed to play a part was that his father had seemingly forgotten all about it. He had asked him if he remembered anything about the missing gem from his student days and his father had just seemed confused and said that he didn’t. From his journals it sounded like such a big thing, but if Sousuke forgot it so easily, then maybe it wasn’t as significant as Gaku had thought. 

But even though Sousuke did not remember anything about the gem in and of itself, Gaku figured he could still ask him about the suit of armor. If it had been removed from the library, it was likely that his father had at least been informed about it. And so, that is why Gaku found himself marching towards his father’s office during his lunch break. 

Gaku knocked on the door to the headmaster’s office, but he got no reply. He knocked again, this time hearing shuffling from the other side of the door. Sousuke then opened, and scowled when he saw Gaku standing out there. “What do you want?” He asked annoyed. Gaku simply rolled his eyes. “Good to see you to.” He said before walking into the office. 

Sousuke returned to his desk and started typing away on his computer. Clearly, Gaku had interrupted his work. Gaku looked around the room, trying to think of what to say to his father. That was when his eyes caught something, in the corner of the room, there stood a big metallic person covered in coats of different kinds. It didn’t take long for Gaku to recognize it as the armor that had stood in the library. 

“So, are you just going to stand around and gawk at my office or did you actually have a reason to disturb me?” Sousuke asked impatiently after a while, not even looking up from his screen in the meantime. Gaku turned back to his father and pointed at the suit of armor. “What is that?” He asked. 

Sousuke glanced up for a second, just to check what Gaku was asking about, then he immediately turned his gaze back to his computer screen. “It’s a coat stand. What does it look like to you?” He asked incredulously. 

“Yeah, but it’s a suit of armor…” Gaku pointed out. Without looking up or stop typing, Sousuke replied. “Then why did you even bother to ask?” Gaku huffed in annoyance. “Then why are you using it as a coat stand?” He then asked, clarifying what was bothering him. 

Sousuke sighed and finally looked up at his son. “I’m using it as a coat stand because I needed a new one, and the suit of armor needed to be kept somewhere else during the exhibition. So, it’s two birds with one stone.” He explained. “Now, if you don’t have anything of actual importance to do in here, I must ask you to leave. I have work to do.” Sousuke then added. 

Gaku rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. Instead he simply left the office and started walking back towards the cafeteria. When he left, he had been there with Ryuu, but by the time he returned, he could see that Tenn had decided to join them as well. When he finally reached the table where his two friends were, he sighed and sat down. 

“How did it go?” Ryuu asked. “Did your dad know anything about what has happened with the suit of armor?” He then added. Gaku looked up, frowned, and then nodded. “The good news is I now know where the suit of armor is.” He started. “The bad news is, my dad is using it as a coat stand.” 

Tenn raised an eyebrow in question. “A coat stand?” He asked. Gaku nodded seriously. “We’re going to need to come up with a plan on how to sneak into his office and check it out.” Gaku then said. 

Ryuu furrowed his brows as if he didn’t like that idea very much. “Why? Didn’t you say you are doing this for your dad? Then why not just ask him to let you check it out?” He asked. “First of all,” started Gaku. “My dad doesn’t know I’m looking for the gem. Second of all, he doesn’t even remember it existed, he would never leave me alone in his office to look for it. He’s too proud.” Gaku explained. 

Ten frowned. “So, we’re going to have to get in there some other way…” He said, putting his scheming face on. Gaku joined him, and together they tried to pitch ideas. Meanwhile, Ryuu looked on in concern. “Are you sure there is no easier way?” He asked, but his question fell on deaf ears. And so, he decided to just give up for now and join them so that they didn’t come up with something too crazy. 

Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo were finally back in the tunnels. It had only been for a little over a day that they had been without the amulets, but it felt like they had lost a lot more time and were thus excited to be back. Or excited might have been the wrong word, none of them were eager on entering the tunnel, but they were desperate to start making some progress. 

“One thing that bothers me...” Riku started as they made their way through the dark tunnels. “Tsukumo has not come to us about the amulets. He must suspect that we are the ones who took them, but he hasn’t said a word about it.” He pointed out. 

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Tamaki asked. “Well, Yeah. It’s just weird is all, it doesn’t feel like him to just ignore it.” Riku answered. Iori nodded in agreement. “I do agree that it is a bit odd… Maybe he’s up to something? Now that he knows about the tunnels and the amulets, I doubt he’s just going to leave it alone. We need to keep an eye on him.” He said. 

The others all agreed that they had to keep an extra eye on Tsukumo. However, they also needed to focus on the quest itself. If they let Tsukumo distract them too much, it might delay them. And they all had a feeling the spirit lady would not be very happy if that happened. And so, they stopped dwelling on that for now and kept making their way through the tunnels. 

When they reached the dead end where the crawl space was, they stopped. “Okay, how are we going to do this?” Sougo asked. Iori stepped up. “Well, the passage is still so tight that only one person can crawl through it at a time. Maybe we should draw sticks again? That way it would be fair.” He suggested. 

Riku raised his hand as if he wanted to say something. “I suggest that Tamaki should sit this one out. He went last time, so I don’t think it would be fair if he was forced to do it again. Let’s have someone else do it this time.” He suggested. Tamaki smiled at Riku and they could all see the tension leaving his body. He must have been really scared that he would have to go back there. “Thanks Rikkun, I appreciate that.” He said. 

Riku nodded and then bent down to collect four sticks. He then held them out and let the other three draw them from his clenched hand. In the end, the shortest stick was the one that was left in Riku’s own hand. Riku gulped down his nerves. “That means I’m going.” He declared. 

Before Riku got a chance to enter the tunnel, Iori grabbed ahold of his wrist and gave him a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He asked. Riku smiled at him. “I mean, I don’t want to go more than anyone else. That doesn’t mean I should be given an exception. We all knew there was an equally big chance that either of us could go, so there’s no point in being upset about it. I’ll just have to get it over with.” He said. 

Iori nodded, though concern was still written all over his face. While Riku was glad to see him concerned for his well being, he couldn’t help but feel that sometimes Iori was treating him as if he was more fragile than the rest of them. And sure, he had his asthma, but he tried not to let that come in the way. Because of this, other than being scared, Riku couldn’t deny that there was a part of him that was a bit excited about going in the crawl space. He wanted to prove that he could reach that lever. 

Riku calmed his breathing, then knelt down and started crawling on his knees through the tight, earthy tunnel. It was dark, the only light coming from the small opening at his back, and it was cold. There was nothing separating him from the cold, wet earth. And then there were the bugs. Worms, beetles, spiders and all kinds of creepy crawlies were down there. And while Riku wouldn’t have thought of bugs as a phobia of his, he did still find them gross. And in this big quantities, it made him feel creeped out. 

Soon, the tunnel got so tight that he had to lay flat on his stomach and drag himself forward using his entire body. He started to understand Tamaki’s panic from last time, his own breath was starting to come out faster and more shallow. Then he saw it, a few meters ahead of him, there was undoubtedly a lever. 

With newfound strength, Riku kept crawling. He wanted to reach that lever, his friends were all counting on him to do so. And that was when he heard it. A voice. Riku stopped in his tracks and started frantically looking around, as if he could spot the source. Only, it made no sense for that to be possible. After all, the voice he heard undoubtedly belonged to his Gran. 

“Help me!” Riku managed to make out. “It hurts! Help me, Riku!” And that was when Riku started panicking. “Gran?! Gran, what’s wrong?!” He called out. He was starting to hyperventilate, and the tight tunnel really wasn’t helping. He was so close to the lever, only another two meters and he would be there. But suddenly, the tunnel seemed to tight for him to keep going. 

Outside, back in the big tunnel, the others could hear Riku call out and became concerned. “Riku? What’s wrong?!” Iori called out, kneeling down by the entrance to the crawl space. When there was no reply other than some panicked breathing, Iori called out again. “Riku, listen to me! What is happening in there?” 

It was first when Iori called out a second time that Riku finally managed to catch it. And it was at the sound of his boyfriend’s voice, the voice of someone he fully trusted, that he managed to snap back to reality. “Iori…” Riku whimpered quietly before he tried to turn his head around in the tight passageway. “I hear voices! It sounds like my Grab, and she’s asking for help!” Riku explained, tears running down his cheeks. 

On the other side, Iori cursed under his breath. Whatever was happening, it was really getting to Riku. He needed to find a way to calm him down. “It’s okay. You must be imagining it because of the circumstances! Maybe you’re not getting enough air.” He suggested. “Just listen to my voice and breath, okay? Your Gran is not here, she’s safe back in her apartment. And you are so close to the end right now, so just breath and keep going! You’re doing so well!” He called out. 

Riku did as Iori said and just focused on breathing for a while. He also told himself that it was all in his head, that his Gran was fine and that it was impossible to hear her down here. It worked, and soon he had managed to calm down slightly. He still felt a bit out of it, but he had managed to collect himself enough to keep going. 

Riku crawled forward another meter, but it was getting harder and harder to keep going forward as the path was becoming tighter and tighter. Riku realized he wasn’t going to be able to crawl all the way. So, instead he pulled his arm free and tried reaching out for the lever. “Almost… there!” He called out and was happy to hear the others cheer him on. 

Riku could feel his fingers touching the cold metal of the lever, but still he wasn’t quite able to get a grip on it. Then, with one final stretch, he reached out as far as he could and finally managed to grab ahold of the lever. He sobbed in relief and then pulled with all he had, relieved to hear some sort of mechanism start to activate. 

For a minute, Riku just lay there on the ground in the tight tunnel. He felt exhausted from all the emotions, the relief, the crawling and almost having had an attack in there. However, it was the concerned voices of his friends that made him pull himself together and start crawling backwards out of the tunnel. 

When he, a few minutes later, had managed to crawl out of the small passage, Riku immediately found himself enveloped in a warm embrace. It was Iori that had wrapped him in his arms the moment he was out, not even caring about all the dirt that was on him. Riku sighed and returned the embrace, letting some of his weight just rest against Iori’s body. 

“Are you okay? You’re shaking...” Iori pointed out, worry written all over his face. Riku pulled back slightly and gave his boyfriend a weak smile. “I’m… okay, I think. A bit shaken, and I am quite tired. But I’ll be fine.” He explained. Iori nodded and then pulled Riku closer again, giving the redhead a chance to just relax. 

Soon, once Iori had helped Riku collect himself and the others had congratulated him, Riku managed to stand up. Then, all five of them turned and faced the path that used to be a dead end. Now, what awaited them was a continuation of their dark tunnel. “Finally. We can keep going.” Riku said. 

Iori gave him a look. “Are you sure you’re up for it? We can come back some other time.” He suggested. Riku smiled and shook his head. “No, we need to make progress. I’ll be fine, so let’s keep going.” He insisted. Iori frowned, but still agreed. After all, he understood what was at stake if they failed. And so, Iori pulled Riku closer once more and placed a kiss on his forehead before leaning back, grasping his hand and leading the way down the new tunnel. 

Soon, there was a staircase, taking them even further underground. And once they were down the stairs, they were greeted by their next puzzle. What awaited them at the bottom of the stairs was a wide and long chamber. At the other end of the hall they could see the door that would take them further down the tunnels. The only problem was that throughout the entire room, strings in different colors, red, yellow and silver, were strung up, creating a sort of web. 

“What is this?” Tamaki asked in awe at the sight. Iori shook his head. “I don’t know… Do you think we just have to make it to the other side?” He asked. “Well, that should be easy enough.” Tamaki declared before walking forward. “Tamaki, wait-” Riku called out in alarm, but he was too late, for Tamaki had already grabbed ahold of the closest string, a silver one, to push it away. 

The moment Tamaki’s palm made contact with the silver string, however, he felt an intense pain course through his arm and immediately yelped and pulled back. “Ow, ow, ow! That really hurts!” Tamaki said, backing away from the web and cradling his palm to his chest. “Here, let me see.” Sougo said as he grabbed Tamaki’s hurt hand. 

A red line, almost like a burn, now marked the palm of Tamaki’s hand and the skin around it looked a bit irritated. “It’s some kind of burn… Maybe the thread was covered in some sort of acid? We should make sure to wash it when we get back.” Sougo commented and Tamaki whimpered in pain. 

“A burn…” Riku mumbled before his eyes caught something. “Or a spider bite… Look!” He said, pointing over to the wall on their left. Sure enough, there was an indentation in the wall in the shape of a big spider. “Of course… A spider’s web!” Iori exclaimed. 

“And look over there.” Riku added, pointing at three different places throughout the web where three hooks hung down from the ceiling. “Okay… So, I’m thinking the task is get through this web without touching the strings. And those hooks… Are we supposed to hang something there? But what?” Iori speculated out loud. 

“I don’t know what we need for the hooks, but it’s clear that the strings are bad. The silver one stings you, and the other two might do something different. But I know I‘d rather not find out what.” Riku said and all the others, especially Tamaki nodded in agreement. 

“We’ll have to think about it, but I think we’ve all had enough for now.” Iori said. Sougo nodded. “Yes, Riku-kun should get some rest, and we need to take care of the burn on Tamaki-kun’s hand.” He said. “Okay, let’s go then. We’ll come back later.” Riku said, and then they all left the spider web behind. 

Back up in the house, Sougo and Nagi had gone with Tamaki to make sure that the burn on his hand got treated properly. Meanwhile, Riku went to take a shower in order to wash off all the dirt and grime that still covered him from crawling through the tunnel. Once he was done, he went back to his own room, only to find Iori already in there, looking at him expectantly. 

Riku smiled and sat down next to Iori on his own bed, then leaned his head on the other boy’s shoulder. “What are you doing here?” He asked softly. In return, Iori wrapped an arm around Riku’s shoulder and pulled him closer in a half-hug. “I just wanted to check on you. And make sure you actually rested and not did anything else.” He explained. 

Riku rolled his eyes but kept smiling at his boyfriend. “I’m okay, I feel a lot better after taking a shower. And don’t worry, I was just planning on taking it easy tonight.” He assured Iori, who smiled and nodded in return, clearly pleased with that answer. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, then Riku let out a yawn and Iori decided it was time for him to go. “Well, I’m going to let you rest. Besides, I should probably go and see if Yotsuba-san is okay.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “Okay, text me how he’s feeling, yeah? I want to know he’s okay.” He said and Iori quickly agreed. “Sure.” He said. Then he quickly leaned in and gave Riku a small kiss. “Call me if you need anything.” Iori added before walking over to the door. “Will do.” Riku responded and waved goodbye to Iori. Then he was all alone in the room. 

Following Iori’s advice to get some rest, Riku lay down and crawled under his covers. He tried to relax, but there was something nagging him in the back of his mind, something that made him feel a bit uneasy. Then he realized that he was still thinking about hearing his Gran’s voice in the tunnel. It still made him feel a bit antsy. 

Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to check up on her real quick, Riku sat up in bed and grabbed his phone. He quickly found her contact and pressed the call button. After three rings, the call connected and Emi picked up. “Hello?” She greeted from the other end of the line. 

“Hi Gran, it’s Riku.” Riku said. “Oh my! Hello sweetheart! Did you need anything?” Emi asked happily. Riku relaxed a bit, she sounded perfectly fine. “No, it nothing in particular. I just wanted to check up on you is all.” He explained. 

“Well, I’m as healthy as a horse! Thank you for checking in though, it’s always nice to talk.” Emi said. Riku smiled, finally able to relax fully. He and his Gran chatted for a few more minutes about school, Tenn, his relationship with Iori, Gran’s temporary apartment, and so on. Then they said goodbye and Riku finally felt all his troubles just melt away. And then he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go, another chapter done. I hope you all enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next, which I will publish on Saturday! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments <3


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu try to come up with a way to sneak into Sousuke's office, meanwhile, Vera looks for a way to get an amulet back and Sibuna starts preparing for the new task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter, so I hope you enjoy it! ^^ Also, before you get started on the chapter, @iorikuzine on Twitter is working on a free online zine dedicated to Iori and Riku, "Stars Within Our Eyes" is what it is called. They are currently looking for artists and writers to signup and be part of the project, so if you are interested, go check them out! I for one am super excited to check out the zine once it's publihed! ^^  
> Anyway, back to the chapter! And if you want to talk or have any questions, you can just hit me up over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Gaku sighed and collapsed onto the sofa in the student lounge. Next to him was Tenn and Ryuu, who were looking over at him. “So, I take it that didn’t go very well?” Tenn asked. Gaku frowned and shook his head. “I’ve been keeping watch at my dad’s office, but he must be seriously paranoid! He never leaves the room without locking the door! Not even if he’s just going to the bathroom!” Gaku explained.

Ryuu frowned. “Are you sure we can’t just talk to him and ask to check out the suit of armor?” He asked, still trying to keep them out of trouble. Gaku rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know that he would never hear us out, not properly. Now, if we find the gem and then come to him with it, then he might actually be happy with me for once.” He said. 

Now it was Tenn’s turn to roll his eyes. “You keep saying how much you hate him, yet you’re still looking for his approval. Wouldn’t things be a lot easier if you two just sat down and talked out all your issues?” He asked, making Gaku frown in reply. “That old man is way too proud for that.” He said. “Like father, like son.” Tenn then whispered under his breath. 

Gaku glared at Tenn and opened his mouth to argue. However, Ryuu, who sensed the oncoming argument, quickly interrupted him so that they wouldn’t start fighting in the middle of the lounge. “Okay guys! Time out! Besides, shouldn’t we get back to the matter at hand? How do we get into the headmaster’s office without him finding out?” He asked. 

Immediately, Tenn and Gaku forgot about their irritation and started focusing on coming up with a plan instead. “What we need is a distraction. We need to make him leave his office in a hurry and then keep him busy for a while.” Tenn said. 

Gaku raised an eyebrow in question at the younger boy. “Are you suggesting we we lead my dad on a wild goose chase?” He asked. Tenn opened his mouth to explain, but Ryuu beat him to it. “That’s it! I know how to distract your dad!” He exclaimed happily. “How?” Gaku asked curiously. 

Ryuu didn’t answer him, instead he just grinned and stood up. “Leave it to me, I’ll be back soon! And when I do come back, we’ll sneak into his office!” He said before running off, leaving Gaku and Tenn alone to wonder what the hell their friend had come up with. 

Gaku and Tenn waited patiently in the lounge for Ryuu to return. Meanwhile, they were discussing what he could have possibly come up with. When it was just five minutes left until class was supposed to start again, Ryuu came in, a wild smile on his face while holding something big and dome-shaped that was covered by a sheet. 

Gaku and Tenn looked at each other in disbelief, then walked up to their friend. “Ryuu, please don’t tell me that is what I think it is...” Tenn said. Ryuu smirked. “I got the idea when you mentioned giving your father a wild goose chase, Gaku. I really think this is going to work!” He said. “A wild...?” Gaku started, still struggling to comprehend what Ryuu had done. “Are you saying that you have a wild goose under that sheet?” He asked. 

Ryuu smiled and nodded. “Well, maybe not wild, but it is a goose. If we set it free outside your dad’s office while there are still a bunch of students in the hallway, there will be total chaos! He will have to come out and help! Meanwhile, one of us can sneak into his office and find the gem.” He explained. 

“For as crazy as that sounds…” Tenn started, still staring at Ryuu. “I actually think that could work.” He said. Ryuu looked at Tenn, then Gaku, then back to Tenn, smiling expectantly all the while. “Well, then, what are we waiting for?” Gaku said, making all them smile and walk off in the direction of the headmaster’s office. 

They were glad to see students still milling around before their next class. And so, Ryuu pulled off the sheet, revealing a cage with a big, white goose inside. Without further ado, he opened the cage and released the bird. Then they watched all hell break loose. 

It didn’t take long for the door to Sousuke’s office to open, revealing an irritated man. The irritation melted off Sousuke’s face and turned into shock as he watched his students being chased around by a crazed goose. He quickly ventured out into the hallway to help, not even bothering to close the door to his office behind him. 

Tenn turned to Gaku and Ryuu. “This is our chance! I’ll go search the office, you two make sure the goose keeps him busy as long as possible.” He said. Gaku and Ryuu nodded, and then the three boys went their separate ways. 

The moment Tenn was inside the headmaster’s office, he started looking around. Quickly, he spotted the suit of armor and started by removing all the coats from it. _‘This has to be it!’_ He thought to himself when he was stood face to face with the armor now that it could be seen in all its glory. 

Shaking his head, Tenn got back to the search. He started shaking the suit of armor to see if he could hear the gem inside. He soon heard a clanking sound coming from its left foot. Tenn grinned and started to remove the leg. Or at least he tried to, he found it to be more difficult than he had anticipated. 

Tenn grunted in annoyance as he pulled and twisted the leg to try and get it off. Meanwhile, he could hear the chaos outside. Every once in a while, he stiffened up as he heard people getting closer to the office, scared that his time was out. He just had to hope that Gaku and Ryuu would be able to keep the goose on the loose long enough so that he could get the blasted leg off the armor. 

Finally, the leg came off with a loud pop. Tenn almost sobbed in relief and turned the leg upside down to try and get the gem out. He heard it clinking inside, but he had turned the leg around too fast, and missed it when it fell out. Cursing under his breath, Tenn put the leg down behind him and started searching the floor for the gem. He finally found it, it was on the other side of the room. 

However, at that exact moment, the door to the office opened and in came a runaway goose. Tenn panicked and backed up against the wall. When Sousuke, Gaku and Ryuu entered as well, Tenn quickly made sure to join them before Sousuke could start to suspect him. 

“Out, out, out!” Sousuke exclaimed and ushered the three boys out of the office. He then closed and locked the door, thus effectively locking the goose away. People cheered and Sousuke urged them to go back to their classes. “Not you three!” He then said, pointing at Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn. “Is this your goose?” He asked suspiciously. Ryuu, who hated conflict, caved quickly. “Okay, yes it is our goose! It’s for a… a school project! I’m so sorry it got out of its cage!” He exclaimed. 

Sousuke huffed in annoyance. “Well, detention for all three of you.” He declared, making all three boys pout in disappointment. “Now, about the goose. Let’s allow it some time to calm down. Once your next class is over, come back here and we’ll get it back in its cage together. Then you will make sure it is returned to wherever it came from after school. Got it?” He asked. 

All three boys nodded. “Yes, sir.” They said. Sousuke nodded, pleased to hear that, and then motioned for them to go. Once they were a few meters away, Ryuu and Gaku turned to Tenn with expectant looks on their faces. “Well? How did it go? Did you find the gem?” Gaku asked. 

Tenn shook his head. “I was so close! I got it out of the armor, but then I dropped it and didn’t have enough time to find it and pick it up.” He exclaimed. Gaku and Ryuu sighed. “Ugh, and we were so close!” Gaku exclaimed. “At least now we know there really is a gem. We’ll just have to try and find it when we go get the goose.” Ryuu added. Tenn nodded, and so they were off. 

Since all the students were off to school, Vera finally had some time to search their rooms. She knew which of the boys were involved, and thus concluded that the rooms that were the most important to search were the one that belonged to Nagi and Riku, as well as the one that belonged to Iori and Tamaki. She knew that Sougo was involved as well, but as he had two roommates who did not seem to be involved, it was unlikely that anything important was hidden in there. 

She started her search in Nagi and Riku’s room. That was where she had previously found that strange cube. It was also where Tsukumo had found the map over the tunnels. And the final reason was that Vera had a strange feeling that everything that was happening throughout the house seemed to center around Nanase Riku. She couldn’t explain how, it was just a feeling she got. 

Vera checked the wardrobe, then the desk and the bedside table that belonged to Riku. Then she checked under the bed as well. Finally, she seemed to recall how Tsukumo had said that he found the map in a secret drawer inside of the dollhouse. 

She had of course seen the dollhouse before, but it had been there since before she came to the house, so she had never really thought twice about it. Though, the more she did think about it, the stranger it seemed to her that a teenage boy would keep an old dollhouse around. And so, that was where Vera decided to look next. 

It did not take long for her to find the drawer, and sure enough, inside was the map. She took it out and observed it, then snapped a couple of photos that she made a mental reminder to send to The Collector later. However, when she went to return the map to its hiding place, she noticed that the drawer could be opened further. It was a bit harder to do, probably because it was so old, but she managed to get it fully opened in the end. 

When Vera looked inside, she was very pleased to see a single amulet inside. She picked it up and took a closer look. She was glad that Tsukumo had shown her the ones he had previously taken off of the kids, because this one looked slightly different. _‘A spare, huh?’_ She thought to herself. 

Vera was very pleased with herself as she put the spare amulet inside her skirt pocket. Then she put the map back in the drawer, closed it, grabbed her cleaning supplies, and exited the room. Her next stop, Tsukumo’s office. 

She knocked on the door and then entered. Tsukumo gave her a smile as she walked over to him. Triumphantly, Vera held out the amulet that she had found. “Look what I found in one of the students’ room.” She said. Tsukumo’s eyes widened and he reached for the amulet, only for Vera to snatch it away at the last second. Tsukumo gave her a questioning look, but Vera only smiled reassuringly. “I’m going to need to hang on to it for a few hours. We don’t want to make the children suspicious, do we?” She asked. That got Tsukumo’s attention. “What do you have in mind?” He asked. 

Vera smiled smugly. “I’m going to have a replica made, then place the fake amulet back where I found this one. The children won’t be able to tell the difference, and you will be able to follow them down into the tunnels to keep watch of their progress.” She explained. “And the reason I need to hold on to it for a while is so that I can show the real thing to the person who is going to make the replica. To assure that it looks as convincing as possible.” She added. 

Tsukumo smirked. “That is a brilliant idea.” He said, and Vera felt a surge of pride go through her. It was rare that she would receive compliments from The Collector, so to get such honest ones from Tsukumo was quite refreshing. She was grateful that Tsukumo had been so easy to deceive, though a part of her couldn’t help but consider what it would be like if she left The Collector for him instead. 

Immediately, Vera shook off that idea. Tsukumo may be wrapped around her finger, he may treat her with more kindness than her employer, but only The Collector could give her what she truly wanted. Riches beyond her wildest dreams. 

“Well, I should go get this to my fabricator. The sooner I get the fake one, the better. I’ll get the real amulet back to you tonight.” Vera said. Tsukumo smiled and nodded. “Good luck.” He said. Vera left then, first the office, then the house. She knew it wasn’t his area of expertise, but she had dirt on Akihiko. He would create her replica for her. 

It was dark and cold outside, and Tsumugi was running back towards the Watanabe Library. After a long day at work, Tsumugi had finally been about to go back home. Only to realize that she had forgotten her wallet at her desk once she got to her car. That was why she was now quickly making her way back to the library, partly because she wanted to go back home as soon as possible, and partly because she was trying to stay warm. 

Tsumugi smiled in relief when she saw the library up ahead of her. She opened the door and was just about to enter when she stopped in her tracks. She heard voices coming from inside, and not just Akihiko’s, he was talking to someone else. Not wanting to disturb them, Tsumugi decided to wait outside for a while. At least, that had been her plan, until she started growing suspicious listening in on the conversation. 

“I don’t understand why I had to do this! I’m not comfortable creating a fake of an old artifact!” She heard Akihiko say. Tsumugi frowned, had Akihiko created a replica of something? 

“Well, you already made it, so just hand it over.” The other person said. It was a female voice that Tsumugi knew that she recognized. However, for some reason she just couldn’t place it. 

It was silent for a while, almost as if Akihiko was hesitating. Then the woman spoke up again. “You forget yourself. Remember that you are working for us, you will do as we say and nothing more. That is the price that comes with having made a deal with The Collector. You know what will happen if you don’t comply, right?” She said. Tsumugi frowned again, that sounded like a threat. 

From inside, Tsumugi heard Akihiko sigh. “Fine, take it. You can’t do anything to those boys.” He said. _‘So, he is definitely being threatened…’_ Tsumugi thought. 

The woman chuckled. “That’s what I like to hear. This needs to make it to its rightful place. And don’t worry, nothing will happen to those boys you care so much for as long as you just follow your orders.” She said. 

Akihiko let out another sigh. “I get it already. Was that all you needed?” He asked, sounding partly irritated and partly dejected. 

“For now.” The woman said. Then Tsumugi heard rustling from inside which she assumed was the woman preparing to leave. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, Tsumugi crouched down behind some bushes and waited for whoever it was to exit the building. 

When the woman exited the library, Tsumugi’s eyes widened. It was Vera. That was why she recognized her voice, because it was the voice of the woman who had taken over her old position at Anubis House. Tsumugi already wasn’t too fond of her, she had been a bit protective over the students who lived in that house and didn’t want them to replace her. And now that she had heard Vera practically threat Akihiko, she started liking her a lot less. 

Tsumugi waited for a few more minutes before she came out of her hiding spot. She then entered the library and announced that she had forgotten her wallet before saying goodbye to Akihiko for the second time that evening. She did not ask him about Vera or what she had overheard, after all, she wasn’t sure if it was her place to get involved. 

Still, she couldn’t help but be a bit curious about it. Besides, if Vera could threaten the staff, what could she do to the students? And so, Tsumugi started walking over to the school. She was grateful to see the lights still on in the chemistry lab, because she needed to talk to Banri, the chemistry teacher. Tsumugi knew that he had been the one who had gone through and handed over the qualified applicants for her old job to Sousuke. Maybe he could tell Tsumugi something about Vera. 

Tsumugi entered the school and walked over to the chemistry lab. She then knocked on the door and waited for Banri to open it. When he did, he greeted her happily, though he sounded a bit surprised as well. “Good evening, Banri-san. I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, I just had some questions is all.” Tsumugi said. 

Banri smiled and closed the door behind Tsumugi, then he gestured for her to take a seat. “You are not bothering me at all. What did you want to ask?” He asked her kindly. Tsumugi sat down and then looked up at him. “You went through all the applicants for my old job at Anubis House, right? I was just a bit curious about why Vera specifically got the job.” Tsumugi explained. 

Banri nodded and thought about it for a while before giving her his answer. “Well, it’s true that I did go through the applications and then placed the ones with the right qualifications on the headmaster’s desk. Though I was quite taken aback when Vera was hired. I deemed approximately ten applicants qualified for the job, and while I don’t remember exactly who they were, I do remember that none of them were foreigners. Vera must have handed her application in some other way.” He described. 

Tsumugi frowned. “You mean you never got to check out her application?” She asked and Banri nodded. “But what brought this on so suddenly? Do I smell some rivalry going on here?” Banri asked smugly, smiling at Tsumugi, who blushed and laughed awkwardly in return. She couldn’t tell Banri about what she had heard Vera say back in the library. She would have to play along with him. 

“I’m sorry, I just feel quite attached to those kids… I guess I’m starting to miss them and got a bit curious about Vera.” She said. Banri nodded in understanding. “Well, if you are really curious, I suppose you could go ask the headmaster. He was the one who hired her after all.” He suggested. 

Tsumugi smiled and thanked Banri for his help, then she said goodbye and headed out for her car. Even on the drive home, Tsumugi couldn’t let the issue of Vera go. She would have to ask around again some other day. 

Nagi glanced over at Riku and smiled, a proud glint in the corner of his eye. Riku returned the smile before they both simultaneously looked out over their room. The two roommates were stood against the wall in one end of their room, looking out over what they had accomplished over the last hour or so. 

“Let’s call the others here.” Nagi said seriously. Riku nodded, picked up his phone and sent a text in their group chat asking Iori, Tamaki and Sougo to come to his and Nagi’s room as soon as possible. When they arrived about three minutes later, the three of them stopped in the doorway and looked at the contraption that Nagi and Riku had set up in awe. 

“What have you two done?” Iori asked in disbelief. Before them was the bedroom they had all come to know well, only there had to be around a hundred strings set up throughout the room, just like down in the tunnels. Just like the strings in the tunnels, these were in three different colors, red, yellow and silver. Some of the strings were tied to objects throughout the room while others were just taped to the wall. 

Nagi and Riku smirked from where they were still stood against the wall at one end of the room. “Well, we figured we should practice getting past those strings for the latest task! So, we just spent the last hour or two setting all of this up. Look, they are even color coded, and we put tiny bells on all of them, so if we touch one, we will know!” Riku explained proudly. 

“Yes!” Nagi agreed. “Of course, it doesn’t look identical to what is down in the tunnels, our room is much smaller, and we didn’t have any hooks. Also, we didn’t remember how all the strings were set up. But this should give us a feel for how to move when getting through it!” He explained. 

“Well, it’s not a bad idea. I think all of us should feel better if we got to practice the movements before doing the actual thing.” Sougo agreed. “Well then, come over here so we can start!” Riku called out and waved them all over to where he and Nagi stood. Iori, Tamaki and Sougo then fully entered the room and closed the door behind them before making their way over to the other two. 

“Okay.” Riku started. “I say we start by going one by one, then we can start trying to do it a few at the same time. The goal is to get from one end of the room to the other without touching any of the strings. We know that the silver string gives you a sting, but we don’t know if the other to colors does the same or if they do something different. And if they do something other than sting you, we have no idea what that is. The point is, we don’t want to find out, so let’s try and not touch any of them.” He explained. 

They all nodded, having understood what they needed to do. “For now, let’s not think about the hooks or the big spider indentation in the wall. Let’s just focus on getting across the room.” Iori added and they all agreed that was a good idea. 

“I want to go first!” Tamaki declared loudly and enthusiastically. No one had any complaints, so Tamaki got what he wanted. He took a step into the web, bent over and heaved his body inside. Then he straightened up and smiled proudly at the others. However, the moment he turned around and tried to bring his second foot inside the web, he hit a string, causing the bell to ding. 

Tamaki turned around with a startled expression and backed into one of the strings, got his foot caught on it and then fell to the floor. The others winced at that and gave Tamaki amused smiles. “Try again, but with less falling over this time.” Iori advised. Tamaki pouted but got back up and started from the beginning. 

This time, he got a bit farther, but he still hit a string and started to panic. “Okay, I think I know what you’re doing wrong.” Sougo declared. “You’re doing fine until you hit a string, then you get distracted, which also makes you less careful and a bit panicky. You need to stay calm and keep going even if you hit a string. This is just practice, so it’s fine.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded and kept going until he was all the way across. He had hit the strings a few more times, and each time he grew more stiff. Good thing they had time to practice. The others all crossed with varying success. Iori, ever the perfectionist, was easily the best one of the bunch. He calculated all his moves, taking in all of the strings around him, and managed to get across without touching any strings. Although he was admittedly a bit on the slower side. 

Still, they had fun and they all felt like they improved at least a little bit. The real thing still scared them, but at least they had a better idea of what awaited them down in the tunnels now. Although, Riku was still bothered by the hooks. He had a sinking feeling that just crossing over to the other side was not going to be enough. He felt like they were missing something important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not all that much happened this chapter, I know, but I hope you still enjoyed it! Things should pick up a bit with the next update, so look forward to that. The next chapter will be out on Wednesday! Thank you everyone for reading, and an extra thank you if you leave kudos or comments! <3


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu are trying to get their gem back, and Nagi loses something important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter you guys! I hope you will like it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can find me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Walking out of the school, Nagi smiled brightly. He was currently in a very good mood. That day, all of the upperclassmen, the second and third years that is, got to quit school as early as after lunch. There was a special event that only first years had to attend, so that was why the rest got the afternoon off.

Sougo had promptly returned back to the house, something about a new album being released, Nagi wasn’t certain. But Nagi was headed over to meet his friends, Mitsuki and Yamato. The three of them had been quite close ever since Nagi started at Yaotome Academy, though Nagi had not really had many chances to hang out with the two of them recently, what with the quest and the curse going on. Of course, Nagi loved spending time with Sibuna, but he missed hanging out with his other friends as well. 

Since school ended early for the upperclassmen, while Iori, Riku and Tamaki were still stuck in school for a few hours, Nagi had quickly sought out Mitsuki and Yamato to see if they wanted to hang out. Shortly after, it was decided that the three would catch the bus into town after school and just spend some time together. 

Soon, Nagi saw his friends and waved happily. “Hello~ I missed you!” He declared dramatically and threw his arms around both of their necks. Yamato laughed and Mitsuki started hitting Nagi’s shoulder. “You saw us just this morning! And- Uwah! Stop that! You’re lifting me off the ground!” Mitsuki exclaimed as Nagi’s hug did indeed lift the shorter boy off the ground. 

“Sorry, Mitsuki...” Nagi said with a pout as he put him down. Mitsuki sighed. “It’s fine. But we should get going now, unless we want to miss the…” He started, but then he trailed off as he turned and faced the bus stop a hundred meters away. “The bus! It’s already there, let’s hurry!” Mitsuki added. 

The three of them ran, Mitsuki and Nagi were laughing but Yamato looked about ready for death. “Onii-san was not ready for this…” He complained, which only made Nagi and Mitsuki laugh harder. 

In fact, Nagi was laughing and having so much fun that he didn’t notice when a certain string snapped off around his neck. Nor did he notice when his amulet fell and hit the grass beneath his feet. Instead, he just kept running to catch the bus, which also caused him to not notice how someone bent down and picked the amulet up. 

Back in the house, Gaku was anxiously pacing around his room while Ryuu was sat at his desk, fidgeting nervously. Tenn was still in school, but the two third years were grateful that they had been able to get back early. Especially now that they had a guest in their bedroom. 

Gaku turned towards Ryuu’s bed and glared at their temporary roommate. The creature made a strange gurgling sound, turned its head, and then went back to staring at the wall. “What are we going to do with it?” Ryuu asked. Gaku frowned. “This goose is not leaving this room until we know for sure.” He said, looking over at the big bird. 

Yesterday after school, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn had gone to the headmaster’s office to collect their wild goose that they had used as a distraction so that they could sneak into the office and find the gem. In the end, they had not been quick enough, and the gem was left on the floor in the office. 

When they collected the goose, they also looked as thoroughly as they could in the short amount of time they had, but they had no luck. The gem was nowhere to be seen. Not knowing what else to do, the three had brought the goose back to the house and kept it in their room for now. 

Back to the present, Ryuu gave Gaku a pleading look. “Do you really think the goose ate our gem?” He asked. Gaku nodded. “Where else would it be? We’ll just have to wait for nature to work its magic, and soon enough, we’ll know whether or not our feathery friend here ate our gem.” He said grimly. 

Ryuu sighed. “So, your plan is to just wait for the goose to poop it out?” He asked. Gaku nodded. “How long does it even take for a goose to… do its business?” Ryuu then added uncomfortably. “Nothing has happened since yesterday.” He then added. 

Gaku shrugged. “How am I supposed to know that? All I do know is that your goose is currently trying to digest something that I want. It is not leaving this room until we get it.” He said. 

Ryuu sighed. “That is if it actually did eat the gem…” He said, earning a glare from Gaku. Ryuu turned and looked at the big bird that was sat on his bed and pouted. “Please, just do your business.” He complained, willing the goose to poop the gem out sooner rather than later. 

It was almost dinnertime by the time Nagi returned to the house with Mitsuki and Yamato. The three of them had had a really fun afternoon in the city. However, now that they were back, it became apparent that they were all quite tired after their fun afternoon. 

Letting out a yawn, Nagi rubbed the back of his head and neck, and that was when he noticed that something was missing. His eyes widened and he started feeling around more before looking down his own shirt. And sure enough, the amulet was no longer there. 

Nagi started to panic, he couldn’t have lost an amulet, they were too important. He needed to find it, and he needed to find it fast. He tried to think back on his day, when had he remembered seeing the amulet last? That morning, he had taken it off when he went to take a shower, and then he had put it back on when he returned to his room. After that, he hadn’t really thought about it. They wore the amulets all the time, so it was easy to forget about it by now. 

Nagi tried calming down. He must have dropped it somewhere, hopefully in his own room. It was also possible he had dropped it elsewhere around the house, which would be kind of bad since Tsukumo could have easily found it then. He could have also dropped it in school, which could be worse since there was a high chance it would just end up in the lost and found whenever someone found it. The worst possibility though, had to be that he had dropped it in town. Then he most definitely would never see it again. 

Thinking that he needed to at least try and look for it in the house, Nagi quickly made his way up to his room and started looking. He skipped dinner, but that didn’t seem important right now. However, no matter how much he looked, he was not able to find his lost amulet. Nagi cursed and sat down on his bed and buried his face in his hands. 

That was when the door opened and Riku came in. “Ah, Nagi! There you were! You missed dinner, so we were starting to wonder.” He said. Nagi forced a smile onto his face and nodded. He didn’t want to tell Riku and the others unless he had to, they all had enough to worry about as it was. “Yeah, sorry about that. I was feeling a bit tired after going out. And I also realized I had homework I forgot about.” Nagi made up an excuse. 

Riku nodded in understanding. “Okay, that’s cool. By the way, I was talking with the others earlier, and we decided to try and go back into the tunnels tonight. We want to try and see what happens if we cross the room with the webs, and maybe try and figure out what those hooks are.” He said. 

Nagi stiffened up. He couldn’t enter the tunnels if he didn’t have an amulet. Still, he couldn’t muster up the will to tell Riku about it, not now that he looked like he was not worrying too much about it for once. And so, Nagi put on another smile and nodded encouragingly. “Sure, I’m in!” He said. 

Riku smiled. “Great! I’m going down to Iori and Tamaki’s room for a while, we also need to do some homework. But we don’t plan to go down until after curfew, so I’ll come back before we leave.” He explained. 

“Sounds great.” Nagi said and then watched Riku leave. The moment the door closed behind the redhead, Nagi groaned and flopped back onto the bed. “No, no, no, no, no…” He muttered. He really needed to find the amulet now. If he didn’t find it before tonight, he would have to tell the others he lost it, and he would rather avoid that if it was possible. 

Then Nagi realized that maybe he had another option. He quickly sat up and turned around, and there, at the other end of the room, was his solution. Nagi walked over to the dollhouse that used to belong to Sara and opened the small drawer in its foundation. He sighed in relief as he picked up the sixth and spare amulet that they kept there. 

Nagi put the spare amulet on and then closed the drawer. He still needed to find his original amulet, otherwise it might end up in the wrong hands. But at least this would buy him some time. As long as the others didn’t come looking for the spare amulet, he shouldn’t have anything to worry about. And besides, he would only have to wear it until he could find his own… 

When Tenn got back to the House of Anubis only to find his two best friends and roommates sitting on different chairs, staring at a goose, he wondered why he even bored to question it. It turns out the goose still had not pooped, so they still did not know whether or not it had eaten the gem. And until they knew for sure, they couldn’t get rid of the bird. 

But finally, later that night, it happened. They had turned their backs on the goose for just a couple of seconds. Then the bird honked and when they turned back around, nature had worked its magic. “Yes!” Gaku exclaimed excitedly and rushed over to the bed, startling the poor bird. 

After going through the bird’s spillings, Gaku turned around and faced his friends. He had a triumphant smile on his face as he held the gooey and dripping pink gem stone. Ryuu and Tenn did not mirror his emotions, instead they looked at him with disgust. “Oh, that is gross.” Tenn said. “Gaku, we have to go wash it.” Ryuu added and covered his mouth to keep from gagging. 

Gaku frowned. “I know that! But we got the gem! Can’t you two at least be a little bit happy about it?” He asked. Tenn rolled his eyes. “I’ll be real happy once we clean it and get that goose out of our room.” He said. Ryuu nodded in agreement. 

SIghing, Gaku agreed that they should take care of that as soon as possible. And so, the three headed for the upstairs bathroom, seeing as the one downstairs was being used and Vera was still doing the dishes in the kitchen. Once there, Gaku quickly started rinsing it off with water. 

“Soap! Don’t forget the soap!” Ryuu pointed out. “Yeah, yeah.” Gaku said, but he did not reach out for the soap in question. Ryuu frowned. “Come on, Gaku! There must be all kinds of germs on it!” He exclaimed and grabbed the bottle of soap himself so that he could squeeze some into Gaku’s hands. 

However, the soap also made the gem very slippery. Gaku struggled to hold onto it, and when Tenn pushed up against him to get a better look, the gem slipped out of Gaku’s hand. The thre boys watched in horror as the gem they had worked so hard to find washed down the drain and into the pipes. “No!” Gaku yelled. 

“I’m so sorry!” Ryuu exclaimed, feeling guilty since he was the one who had been impatient with the soap. “I didn’t mean for that to happen! I just wanted to be sure it got clean.” He said. Gaku sighed. “Well, we’ve come this far, I’m not about to give up on it now. As long as we don’t turn on the water again, it should stay at the bottom of the pipe under the sink. We’ll just have to get it out.” He said. 

Tenn agreed and quickly went off to get supplies for them. Meanwhile, Ryuu still looked guilty. Gaku patted his bigger friend’s shoulder. “Hey, I’m not mad at you. I was the one who dropped it. Besides, wherever it is now, at least we know it’s clean.” He said. Ryuu laughed at that. 

Shortly after that, Tenn returned with a hammer and a wrench. “Great.” Gaku said with a smirk and grabbed the hammer. When he raised it, both Tenn and Ryuu quickly held him back. “Woah, woah, woah! You can’t just break the sink! That’s a bit too obvious, don't you think?. We would get in so much trouble.” Ryuu pointed out. 

Gaku calmed down and lowered the hammer. He then nodded and handed the tool back to Tenn. “Right… Sorry, I got a bit excited there.” He said. Tenn smirked and handed him the wrench instead. “Use this instead then.” He said. Gaku nodded in appreciation. 

Gaku started fiddling with the pipe under the sink. However, he didn’t exactly have much experience with plumbing, and neither did Ryuu or Tenn. This made it quite hard, and no matter how much they struggled, they just couldn’t loosen the pipe. 

Just when they were about to give up, the door to the bathroom opened up and in the doorway stood Vera. In her hands were cleaning supplies, she must have finished down in the kitchen and was going to clean the bathrooms next. “What on earth are you boys doing?” She asked in shock as she watched Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu crouched beneath the sink with tools in their hands. 

Gaku and Ryuu both struggled to come up with an excuse. However, it was Tenn who found his voice first. “I’m sorry Vera. It’s just, we dropped something down the drain and were trying to get it back. We didn’t want to bother anyone else with it since you’re so busy.” He said, sounding as polite as possible. 

Vera’s expression turned sympathetic. “Oh dear, how unfortunate. Tell you what, I had something similar happen to me once, so why don’t I help you? I’ll get the pipe off in just a few minutes.” She offered. 

Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu eyed each other suspiciously, as if they were considering whether it was really a good idea to have the housemother help them or not. On one hand, they weren’t all that keen on telling her about the gem, but on the other hand, they probably would not be able to get the pipe removed for a very long time. “Okay, do your thing.” Gaku said, handing Vera the wench. 

The three boys backed off and waited out in the hallway while Vera worked on the pipe, since the housemother had asked for some space. It took about five minutes, and then they heard a POP that meant that Vera had succeeded. They crowded the bathroom as they heard her banging the pipe on the floor to get whatever was stuck inside to fall out. 

When Vera turned around, she was holding the pipe and on her face she wore an apologetic expression. “I’m really sorry boys, but there is nothing in here. Whatever you dropped must have gone all the way down the plumbing. I don’t think I can help you get it back.” She said. 

“No… that can’t be.” Gaku said and grabbed the pipe from Vera. He shook it, but all he got out was some water and a few loose strands of hair that must have been stuck in the drain. “I really am sorry.” Vera said again, and then she left the boys alone to deal with the news of their missing gem. 

However, what they didn’t see was that as Vera walked away, she reached her hand into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out a small, round, pink gem. She smirked as she observed it closer. “How beautiful…” She whispered and walked up to her room. 

Despite having already taken the spare amulet from the dollhouse, Nagi had kept searching the house up until the very last minute, hoping that maybe he could find his own amulet before they descended into the tunnels once more. Nagi hated going behind the others’ backs like this, but he hated the thought of causing them more trouble than necessary. He was the one who had lost the amulet, so he would make sure to find it again. 

However, It seemed like only a few minutes had gone by when Tsukumo announced that it was now ten o’clock and they all needed to return to their rooms, even though in reality it had been a few hours. Nagi sighed and ventured back to his bedroom, where Riku was waiting for him. 

For the next forty minutes or so, the two roommates just sat there, Nagi listening to Riku going over their plans for the night in great detail while offering his own insights every once in a while. Although, if he was being honest, Nagi had trouble concentrating with how guilty he still felt over losing his amulet. It had been by accident, but even so, he couldn’t blame anyone else. 

When it was finally time to go, Nagi actually felt relieved. At least the tunnels and the quest could offer him some sort of distraction. It would allow him to focus on things other than his missing amulet. He and Riku met up with Sougo in the hallway and then went down to the kitchen, where they found Tamaki and Iori. 

They wasted no time in getting down into the cellar. They had already checked Tsukumo’s office and saw that he was there, so they knew the cellar would be empty, much to their collective relief. Together, they entered the secret study, from where they would continue onwards into the tunnels. 

As they stood there, Nagi started at the bookshelf while fiddling with the amulet that hung around his neck. It felt ten times heavier than his normal one, but Nagi had a feeling that was entirely his guilt talking. In the end, he swallowed his nerves and joined the rest of his friends as they entered the tunnels. 

Just as usual when they entered, the beacon of light came on in the opposite end of the first portion of the tunnels. They all stood still, waiting for the light to register their amulets and allow them passage. Just as usual, the beacon of light disappeared once it reached their amulets. 

However, when they start to move, something that was not as usual happened. The beacon of light turned itself back on, but this time it was focused only at Nagi. He panicked and closed his eyes, but it didn’t stop the bright light from burning into his eyes, making him momentarily blind. 

Nagi screamed and crouched down, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes to try and rub it off. But when he opened his eyes, all he saw was darkness. “Nagi!” He heard Riku calling out, and then he felt multiple presences next to him. 

“I’m fine! Just… I can’t see.” Nagi said, but even though he couldn’t see, Nagi could tell that this didn’t make the others feel any better. “What just happened? Why didn’t his amulet protect him?” Sougo asked, sounding both troubled and confused. 

“I don’t know, but this is quite troubling… What if there is a time limit to how long we can use the amulets? What if that is why the spirit is so impatient?” Iori speculated. Nagi heard Riku gasp and could clearly imagine the troubled expression that surely donned his friend’s face right now. “No… That would be really, really bad! We still have a long way to go through the tunnels!” He exclaimed. 

After that, they all started speculating back and forth, but Nagi had a feeling that they were all wrong. He touched his amulet and realized what he had to do. He would have to tell them the truth. “Guys.” He called out, but they didn’t seem to have heard him. “Guys!” Nagi then called out louder, which made his friends quiet down. 

“It may not be like that after all… The amulet I’m wearing now… it’s not the same as before. It’s the spare from the dollhouse.” Nagi admitted. For a minute, there was just silence, all Nagi could hear was breathing. Then, Iori spoke up. “The spare? Why would you wear the spare and not your usual amulet?” He asked. 

Nagi sighed. “Because I lost mine! I remember putting it back on this morning after my shower, but since we wear them all the time, I didn’t even notice when I dropped it! All I know is that when I got back from town, I noticed it was gone. I’ve been looking for it all night, but when I couldn’t find it, I panicked and took the spare, thinking it would give me some more time.” He explained. 

“But why didn’t you just say something?” Riku asked, sounding a bit hurt, which honestly made Nagi feel more miserable than being temporarily blind ever could. “I’m sorry… I just didn’t want to add any troubles for you… I thought I could find it by myself.” He said. 

“Well, you shouldn’t have to find it by yourself! We could cover more ground if we looked together!” Tamaki exclaimed. Nagi nodded, but he said no more. Iori sighed. “Well, this is a bit of a problem… It would be bad if the amulet got into the wrong hands. We’ll have to look for it tomorrow. However, you using the spare does not explain why it didn’t stop the beacon of light. It’s the same as all the others, so it should still work.” He said. 

Nagi perked up at that. “Now that you mention it… This amulet does feel a bit heavier than the one I used to wear. I discarded it as just my own guilt making it feel heavy, but what if it’s not actually one of the amulets?” He speculated. 

“What do you mean? That it’s just a replica?” Sougo asked. Nagi felt someone lift it then, as if to inspect the amulet closer. “It looks the same as the others… But you are right, it is a bit heavier.” Riku said, so it was probably him who held the amulet Nagi was wearing. 

“If that’s the case…” Iori started. “It’s possible that we’re not missing one, but two amulets.” He then said. Nagi didn’t need to be able to see in order to feel the tension in the room. They all knew that this was really bad. “Okay, so if we assume that someone took our spare amulet and replaced it with a replica, and that it is not related to Nagi’s missing amulet, that means we have two amulets we need to find. And one of them must already be with someone else.” Riku said then. 

“This is bad, but it’s not something we can do anything about tonight. We’ll have to deal with this in the morning.” Iori said. “What about the test? Can we still do it tonight?” Tamaki asked. “No, we should get Nagi back to-” Riku started, but Nagi shook his head and interrupted him. “You guys should still go. I’ll just go wait in the study for you to come back. We shouldn’t waste a trip down here, it will just slow us down.” He said. 

“Are you sure? Maybe someone should wait with you at least.” Sougo said, but Nagi shook his head. “I’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll do more good down there than up here with me.” He argued. They all agreed after that, albeit a bit reluctantly. And so, Nagi headed back into the study and felt his way over to the sofa, where he made himself comfortable. 

However, only about ten minutes later, Nagi sat up suddenly. He could have sworn he heard something. He focused, and sure enough, someone was at the other end of the bookshelf leading back into the cellar. He could hear someone fiddling with the combination. Nagi realized that it was someone who was planning on entering the tunnels and figured it would be really bad if they ran into his friends in there. 

And so, even though he was terrified, Nagi rushed over to the bookshelf that led into the tunnels and entered. Since he was already blinded, he didn’t even bother to wait for the beacon of light. He simply felt his way along the walls and walked forward as fast as he dared. 

When he took a step, only to find nothing beneath his feet, Nagi quickly backed away. “Whoa! Big drop!” He exclaimed. His breathing was laboured as he realized he would have to cross over the bridge to reach his friends. At least there were no longer any pendulums that could cut him in half. 

Nagi decided that it would be safest to crawl, so he knelt down and felt his way over to the bridge. Once he was on it, he distantly heard the bookshelf turning. Whoever was behind him had just entered the tunnels. Nagi swallowed down his nerves and crawled across the gap a bit faster than he was comfortable with, but he managed to get across without falling to his death. He then quickly made his way forward, almost falling down the stairs into the newest room they had discovered. 

“Someone is in the tunnels!” Nagi exclaimed once he felt himself reaching the bottom of the stairs. “Nagi?! What are you doing down here?” Nagi heard Riku’s concerned voice call out. “No time! I heard someone enter the tunnels, they are coming this way, we have to hide!” He said. 

“Okay, everybody make it back as fast and carefully as you can.” He then heard Riku order, presumably that meant that Iori, Tamaki and Sougo were traversing the web. Once they were all back, Tamaki and Riku helped guiding Nagi back up the stairs. 

“The crawlspace! That’s the only hiding place in here!” Iori called out. Nagi shuddered at the thought, he had never entered it himself, but from both Tamaki’s and Riku’s reactions, he could tell it would not be pleasant. “Are you sure we will all fit?” Sougo asked. “We’ll have to enter one by one. It will have to work, because we don’t have another option.” Iori said. 

And so, that is what they did. One by one, they all entered the crawl space. Iori entered first, he was almost as far in as the lever, then Sougo, then Riku had entered with Nagi, and finally it was Tamaki. They got the hatch closed just as they heard footsteps rounding the corner. 

“Who is it?” Riku whispered. Tamaki, who was at the very front, answered them. “I don’t know. I can’t see from here.” He said. Soon, they heard someone cursing really loudly before the footsteps started coming back. As the other person passed them, they could hear him continuing to curse and mutter about a sting and a thread. He must have done the same thing Tamaki did last time they were there. 

When the person was gone, Tamaki told them all it was fine to come out now. Once they were all back out, Nagi took a deep breath and thought about the voice of the man who had passed them, and he realized that he definitely recognized it. “That was Tsukumo, wasn’t it?” He asked. 

“It sure sounded like him. He must have either found the amulet in the dollhouse, it wouldn’t be the first time he went snooping around after all, or the amulet Nagi dropped.” Iori said. “So, we’ll have to get an amulet back from him AGAIN.” Riku said. “At least this time we will still be able to enter the tunnels.” Sougo pointed out, trying to be positive. “Four of us at least.” Tamaki said. 

Nagi could feel all eyes on him then. He sighed. “I’m so sorry about losing the amulet. But if something good came out of this, it’s that we now know that someone took the one in the dollhouse as well. Otherwise, we may have never known someone else had an amulet and could enter the tunnels.” He said. 

“That’s true.” Riku said, and then Nagi felt him grab ahold of Nagi’s hand in reassurance. Nagi squeezed back, glad that his friends weren’t angry with him. “For now, I think we should go back. It’s late, and we’re going to be busy tomorrow.” Iori added. They all agreed, and so they once again left the tunnels behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go, done! Now that not only one, but two of the amulets are gone, what will Sibuna do next? Find out on Saturday, because that's when I will be back with the next chapter! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked it. And also thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and comments! <3


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna look for Nagi's missing amulet, and maybe they'll find something else too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter that I hope you will like! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Morning came and brought with it a very nice day. It was sunny and warmer than it had been for a long time. However, the nice weather did not mirror the mood of Sibuna. Last night had been a bit of a flop to say the least. And now, not only did they still not know what they were supposed to do about the new task, but they also had two missing amulets. They needed one back just so that they could all get down into the tunnels, but they wanted them both to ensure themselves that nobody else could do that.

Nagi, who still couldn’t see anything, had decided to stay home from school today as to not raise any suspicion. Either way, he wouldn’t be able to help searching since he couldn’t see. And so, he had faked being sick so that he could stay isolated in his and Riku’s room until his sight came back. 

The other four went to school as usual, though prior to the first class, they walked around the places where they knew Nagi had been, or just places he tended to visit, to see if they could find the amulet he dropped. Riku also stopped by the lost and found, but no one had turned in the amulet. So, if it had been lost in school, either nobody had found it yet, or whoever had found it had decided to keep it. 

They had no luck that morning and had to go to their respective classes without having found anything. It wasn’t that they had expected to find it so soon, but it was still disappointing. There were a lot of ways they had not expected to find the amulet in, as a matter of fact, and hanging around one of their classmates’ necks was certainly not one of them. However, as Iori, Riku and Tamaki walked into their classroom, Tamaki quickly noticed the familiar necklace around Isumi Haruka’s neck. 

He poked both Iori and Riku to get their attention, then he pointed at Haruka. “Look! That’s our amulet!” He exclaimed. “Why does Isumi-san have it?” Iori asked. Riku frowned. “He must have found it after Nagi dropped it. Which means that Tsukumo has the real spare amulet.” He said. 

They were about to walk up to Haruka and ask for it back, but their teacher came in at moment and told them all to take their seats. After that, the three friends struggled to get to Haruka. He was a bit of a loner in their class, and when he did hang out with others, they were all upperclassmen. He always left the classroom quickly and then disappeared in the sea of students. 

It wasn’t until that day at lunch that Iori, Riku and Tamaki got a chance to talk to him. They entered the cafeteria and saw him sitting at a table with three others, Mido Torao, a third year, as well as Natsume Minami and Inumaru Touma, both second years. The four of them lived in the same house, similar to how Iori, Riku and Tamaki lived in the House of Anubis. They had also been a part of the play they had set up during last term’s culture festival. 

“So, what’s the plan?” Tamaki asked, eyeing the table Haruka was sat at suspiciously. Riku rolled his eyes. “Let’s just go up to him, explain that we lost that amulet and that we would like to get it back.” He said. “Yeah, we don’t need to make a big deal out of it.” Iori said. Tamaki sighed, but nodded in agreement. 

The three of them then walked over to the table where Haruka was sat. Riku gave them his best smile. “Hello, do you guys mind if we sit here?” He asked. Haruka, Touma, Minami and Torao all looked a bit weirded out by that, since they never asked to sit together before and there were loads of other tables that were empty. After a few awkward seconds, Touma cleared his throat and returned Riku’s smile, albeit a bit more forced. “Sure, I guess.” He said. 

Riku thanked them and then he, Iori and Tamaki sat down. Tamaki then decided to get right to it. “So, Isumin… Where did you get that necklace?” He asked. Haruka looked up at him, meeting his eyes for the first time that day. “None of your business.” He answered. “Why do you ask?” He then added. 

Tamaki was about to answer him, but Riku and Iori both sensed that he might not be all that tactful, so the stopped him. “We’re sorry, we don’t want to accuse you of anything… It’s just, a friend of ours lost a necklace that looks just like that one yesterday, and he’s been really upset by it. We wondered it you might have picked that up here around the school somewhere?” Riku explained. 

Now all eyes were on Haruka, who frowned and averted his eyes. “So what if I found it? Finders, keepers. And either way, isn’t it rude to ask if I just took it? Why couldn’t I have bought a necklace that looks the same?” He asked. Tamaki glared and opened his mouth to say something, but Iori stopped him before he could upset Haruka more. 

“We apologize if it sounded like that. It’s just, it was an old necklace that had been passed down our friend’s family for decades. It’s really unique and really important to him, so that’s why.” Iori explained. 

“Well Haru, if it’s their friend’s, then isn’t that great? You can give it back then.” Touma suggested. However, Haruka still didn’t seem very keen on the idea of giving it up. “How do I know you’re not lying just because you want it for yourself? Who is this friend who supposedly owned it anyway?” He asked. 

Now Iori was also getting annoyed, but luckily, Riku still had an easy smile on his face. “It’s Nagi. You know, Rokuya Nagi? A second year, lives at Anubis House with us, blond hair, foreigner-” Riku started explaining, but Haruka interrupted him. “I get it! I know who you mean!” He exclaimed. 

Riku’s smiled widened and he leaned in closer across the table then. “So, you’ll give it back?” He asked hopefully. Haruka frowned. “If Rokuya asks for it back, sure. But since it’s his, I want to hear it from him before I give it back.” He answered. 

Riku sat back down and pouted. “But he’s home sick today, and he wanted it back as soon as possible.” He complained before he came up with a solution. “How about I call him then? You can ask him yourself and then we can take it to him!” Riku suggested. Haruka didn’t really have anything to say, he couldn’t come up with any other excuses, so he simply nodded and held his hand out so that Riku could hand him the phone. 

Riku pulled his phone out, found Nagi’s contact and pressed the call button. When he saw that Nagi had managed to answer, he handed the phone over to Haruka. The other boy took it and immediately asked Nagi about the necklace and whether it was true that he had lost it or not. Then he was silent, presumably listening to Nagi’s answer, and then he let out a sigh. 

“Okay, fine. I’ll hand it over to your friends then.” Haruka said before hanging up. He then handed Riku the phone back before taking the amulet off and handing that over as well. “Sorry, I didn’t know it belonged to him.” He said. Riku smiled and thanked him. One amulet had now been retrieved, only one to go. 

Tsumugi was fast as she walked towards the school. It was her lunch break, and she had some time left over after she had finished eating, so she figured she should use this time to go and talk to the school’s headmaster. She had been meaning to ask him about Vera ever since that night she overheard the new housemother and Akihiko. However, there just hadn’t been a good time to do so. 

Now she was relieved to finally have some time to talk to Sousuke. And so, she knocked on the door as soon as she got there and waited for him to let her in. A few seconds later, and she had the green light. 

Tsumugi entered the office and smiled politely at the older man before taking a seat. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, I just had a question or two…” She said, after which Sousuke nodded for her to go ahead. 

Tsumugi kept going. “It’s about… Vera. I was just wondering why you chose her for my old job? Nothing against her, I think I’m just being a bit overprotective. I worked with those kids and got a bit attached… I just want to make sure they are treated in the best way possible.” She explained, trying to not sound like she was suspicious of Vera. 

Sousuke sighed. “Well, Vera Devenish had a very good record, her application seemed very promising. She also got a recommendation from your current boss, Akihiko-san. I couldn’t just ignore that.” He explained. 

Tsumugi nodded thoughtfully. _‘So, Akihiko-san recommended Vera? Are they friends? Did I misread the situation? Or maybe… She has been threatening him since before she even came here?’_ Tsumugi thought. However, she did not want to take anything for granted, so she decided to dig a little deeper before she drew any conclusions. “What about the other applicants? Did you ever consider anyone else for the job?” She asked Sousuke. 

The headmaster frowned and shook his head. “Well, the strange thing is that there was never really a choice. You see, Vera was the only applicant.” He answered. Now this was strange. Tsumugi was shocked to hear that. “Wait, but when I asked Banri-san about this, he said that he put around ten different applicants at your desk! How did ten go to only one? What happened to the others?” She asked. 

Sousuke looked confused. “What are you talking about? I only ever saw one application for your old job. I did ask Banri to go through the applicants and hand me the ones he saw fit, but like I said, there was only Vera’s.” He said. 

Tsumugi looked at him in disbelief. Did he not see how suspicious this sounded? How did ten applications just disappear? Tsumugi was starting to think that maybe Vera really was up to something, but she had no idea what to do about it. When she left Sousuke’s office, she was more confused than before. All she knew was that she did not trust Vera Devenish for a second. 

As they were walking back to the house, Tenn looked over at Gaku and Ryuu and sighed. They had both been a bit grumpy since that morning, and it appeared as if their mood had not improved at all throughout the day. “You have to learn to let it go. The gem is gone, and that sucks, but we can’t do anything about it now.” He said. 

Gaku glared at him then. “I did not come this far only to give up! I stuck my hands in goose poop for that gem!” He exclaimed. Tenn raised an eyebrow at him. “Well? What are you going to do then?” He asked, effectively shutting Gaku up, seeing as he had absolutely no idea what to do about the situation. 

“It doesn’t make sense though…” Ryuu said, making both Gaku and Tenn turn their attention to him. “What doesn’t make sense?” Gaku asked. “The water wasn’t on, so the gem shouldn’t have been flushed into the plumbing. It should have stayed at the bottom of that pipe.” Ryuu explained. 

“But it didn’t. We checked that pipe ourselves, we all know that the gem wasn’t in there.” Tenn argued. However, that was when Ryuu realized something and stopped in his tracks. Gaku and Tenn noticed and eyed him in question. “What’s up?” Gaku asked. “I know that face… You figured something out, didn’t you?” Tenn added. 

Ryuu shook his head, a troubled look on his face. “It’s… It’s probably nothing. Just let it go.” He answered, though neither of the other two boys were fooled. They could see that whatever Ryuu had realized was clearly bothering him. “Come on, you can tell us.” Tenn pushed. 

Ryuu sighed, but gave in and told them. “I don’t like to distrust people, but… There was one person who had an opportunity to check the pipe before we did.” He explained. 

Tenn and Gaku realized then what Ryuu had thought of. “Vera… You don’t she took the gem, do you?” Tenn asked. Gaku frowned. “If she did steal our gem, then we need to get it back!” He declared. 

“Calm down, Gaku! We don’t know for sure that she took it, we can’t just go around accusing people of theft!” Ryuu exclaimed. “Even if they are very suspicious. We have no proof, other than the fact that she was the only person who had a chance to take it.” He added. 

“Then we just have to see it for ourselves.” Tenn said, making Gaku and Ryuu turn to him. “What do you mean?” Ryuu asked. Tenn rolled his eyes. “We could search her room. If we find the gem, then we know it was her, and if not, then she most likely didn’t steal it.” He explained. 

Ryuu’s eyes widened. “But we can’t just-” He started, but was interrupted by Gaku. “As long as she doesn’t find out, it’s all good. That gem is ours, and if she took it, then she deserves worse than us searching through her stuff.” He stated. Ryuu sighed but had to give in now that Tenn had gotten Gaku onboard with this. 

The three of them reached the house, and conveniently it turned out that Vera was out shopping for groceries at the moment. They headed upstairs and walked up to the attic, where the guest room that Vera was using at the moment was. Ryuu was nervously fidgeting the entire time, scared that they would be discovered. 

“So, where do we start?” Gaku asked. After scanning the room real quick, Tenn gave him an answer. “Well, maybe look for a jewelry box, or something. Otherwise, she might keep it in a drawer, a box or a bag, I guess.” He speculated. Then they started looking. 

“What is this?” Gaku asked after a while, holding up what looked like a portion of a book, with loose pages practically falling apart. It looked old, and the writing was clearly not japanese, nor was it anything in the latin alphabet. Tenn frowned and took it from Gaku. “It looks like hieroglyphics. Why Vera would have something like this though, I have no idea.” He shrugged. 

Tenn then discarded the papers, laying them on top of his own school books that he had brought, seeing as they had not gone to their own room to leave them first. Then they kept looking. For the longest time, it seemed like they wouldn’t find anything. Ryuu was becoming more and more skittish by the second, afraid that Vera would return any moment now. 

However, just as they were about to give up, Gaku found a small black box in Vera’s bedside drawer. When he opened it, he saw that inside was some fancy jewelry, as well as a round, pink gemstone. “Aha! I found it!” He exclaimed happily. 

Tenn and Ryuu gaped in awe. “So… Vera really did take it.” Tenn said, making both Gaku and Ryuu frown. “I guess… But maybe we should just take it and leave? I mean, if we confronted Vera about it, she would know we went snooping around her room.” Ryuu said. 

Gaku sighed, but nodded. “I suppose we’ll have to let it go… Though I don’t like that she gets away with it.” He said. Tenn rolled his eyes. “The most important thing is that we got it back, right? Let’s just leave now, before she comes back.” He said. 

Ryuu, who had moved over to the window, nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, let's leave! Now! Vera just returned to the house!” He called out. And so, the three quickly grabbed their things and left. In the hurry, Tenn didn’t notice that he had accidentally forgotten to return the papers with hieroglyphics. 

They walked through the hallway on their way back to the first floor when they bumped into Tsukumo. Literally in Tenn’s case, he had walked straight into Tsukumo’s chest. As a result of the collision, Tenn dropped what he was holding and cursed under his breath. 

Tsukumo looked annoyed with them, but as his eyes traveled downward, he shut up and just stared in awe. He bent down and picked up the portion of a book that Tenn had accidentally brought with him. Then he simply turned his back to them and left. 

Tenn eyed Gaku and Ryuu warily. “Do you think we’re going to get in trouble? Tsukumo definitely recognized whatever it was we found in Vera’s room, maybe he knows it’s hers…” He asked. “Let’s not dwell on it, he didn’t exactly seem angry as he left, after all. For now, we need to put this gem back in its rightful place.” Gaku said before dragging Tenn and Ryuu with him. 

Tenn and Ryuu were confused as they followed Gaku all the way back to the school. “Are you going to return it to your father?” Ryuu asked. Gaku shook his head. “No. The gem was originally taken from a trophy called the Watanabe shield. Some old trophy the Watanabes donated to the school. I want to find that shield and put the gem back, then show my father.” Gaku explained. 

Tenn and Ryuu nodded in understanding as they followed Gaku into the school and over to where they kept their trophy display case. However, when they got there, the display case was embarrassingly empty, and only three trophies stood inside. “Wow, our school really sucks at sports.” Tenn commented. 

Gaku frowned. “I guess my dad is too busy focusing on the school’s academic image that he kind of forgets about sports, yeah.” He said. “The shield is not here either…” Gaku added, sounding disappointed. “All this time, all this work we put into finding this gem, and now we don’t even have the shield to put it in!” Gaku exclaimed, kicking the display case. 

Ryuu held him back then, trying to calm him down. “Relax, okay? We got the gem back, which I think is the most important thing. It’s likely that the Watanabe shield was just won by some other school, right? Tomorrow, we can look up how to win it back.” He suggested. 

Gaku did calm down at that, taking a deep breath and nodding. He then looked down at the gem in his hand. “We got the gem, so now we have to get the shield.” He said. Ryuu and Tenn both smiled and nodded. “We’ll get it back together.” Tenn declared, making Gaku smirk in determination. They were not giving up on this just yet. 

Riku got back from school and started eagerly making his way up to Nagi’s room, he was really excited to give him back the amulet. Riku was sure it would be a load off of Nagi’s mind, seeing as the older boy had felt really guilty about losing it in the first place. 

However, when he entered the room, Riku immediately forgot about the amulet as something else caught his eye. The dollhouse was lit up. Riku gasped and rushed over to it, the sound of him slamming the door startling Nagi who still couldn’t see. “What? What’s happening?” The blond asked. 

“Nagi!” Riku called out. “The dollhouse is lit up again! Why didn’t you do anything about it?” He then asked in exasperation. Nagi shook his head. “What would I have done?! I can’t see it!” He reminded Riku, who smiled apologetically before he realized that Nagi couldn’t see that either. “Sorry.” He said instead before turning back to the dollhouse. 

Riku opened the dollhouse to try and identify what it was trying to tell him. Soon, he noticed that a small piece of the tapestry on one of the walls was peeling off. Riku reached in, grabbed ahold of one of the corners, and pulled. The piece of paper came right off, like he had simply been removing a sticker. Delighted, Riku noticed that there was writing on the back of it. 

“Nagi, the dollhouse gave us a new clue!” Riku exclaimed happily. “Really? What does it say?” Nagi asked. Without looking over at Nagi, Riku read what was written on the back of the paper out loud. _“Upon the foundation on which this house rests lies the solution to the spider web test. To find the armourer and scholar’s hollow, the silver thread of fate you must follow.”_

Riku smiled and looked over the new riddle again. “What do you think it means?” Riku asked as he felt Nagi walk up to him from behind. He turned around then so that they could discuss it more easily. However, when Riku turned around, he saw that it was not Nagi who had walked up to him. Instead, he was face to face with the spirit while Nagi was still sat at his desk. 

Riku gasped and took a step back as the spirit glared and opened her mouth. “This ruler may be forgotten, but she will not be ignored! Or you will pay the greatest price of all…” She said in a threatening voice. From the desk, Nagi gasped and tensed. Had he also heard the spirit? His expression told Riku that he probably had. 

Riku gulped. “I-I’m sorry! We’re doing this as fast as we can! We are not ignoring you, just-” He started, but the spirit held up her hand and silenced him. “The raven is poised to swoop on the mask!” She said, as if that explained why she was so angry. For Riku, it was just confusing. What did she mean by ‘the raven’? 

Riku was about to open his mouth and ask her about it, but the spirit beat him to it. “Do not forget, you belong to me now, Chosen One, and I will not tolerate any more failure!” She declared, holding out her hands, palm up, the mark of Anubis glowing on her palms. 

Riku winced in pain and grabbed his arm as the mark started to burn. From the other end of the room, Riku could see Nagi doing the same with his wrist, so the spirit must be hurting him too. Riku wondered for a second if Iori, Tamaki and Sougo could also feel it, but as the pain increased, he couldn’t concentrate on much else. 

Riku let out a sob and looked up at the dead woman pleadingly. “Stop, please! We’ll find the mask, I promise!” He exclaimed. The spirit huffed and put her hands away, after which the pain abruptly stopped. Then she vanished, as if she had never been there in the first place. 

Both Riku and Nagi were panting, and it took a while for them to collect themselves. Then, Nagi turned to Riku. “Is she gone? Are you okay?” He asked. Riku took a deep breath and nodded, before reminding himself again that Nagi couldn’t see it. “Yes, she’s gone. And I’ll be fine. What about you? Did you hear her?” He asked. 

Nagi nodded sadly. “Yeah… When she marked me in that dream a while back, I only heard her laugh… Her voice wasn’t exactly pleasant.” He said, accompanied with a full-body shudder. “But I’m okay now too.” He then added. 

Riku relaxed then, if just slightly, only to be startled again by the door being thrown open. In came Tamaki, Sougo and Iori, all looking concerned. Riku sighed. “You guys felt it too then?” He asked. Tamaki nodded. “What the hell just happened?! I was making myself a sandwich and all of a sudden the mark starts burning! Iorin and Sou-chan say the same thing happened to them! Except the sandwich, they weren’t making a sandwich.” He said. 

Riku gave them a small smile. “The spirit came by again. She seemed really angry.” Riku explained before walking over to Iori and taking his hand in his. Iori didn’t comment on the action, but he gave Riku’s hand a small squeeze to show that he was there for him. 

“She said some really wierd things as well…” Nagi said then, making the others turn to him. “Nagicchi, you could see her too?” Tamaki asked in awe, since the only person who had met her outside of dreams before was Riku. Nagi gave them all a deadpan look. “No, I didn’t see her. As a matter of fact, I didn’t see anything.” He said, waving his own hand in front of his eyes to emphasize that he was still blind, since they had all apparently forgotten about that. 

“Sorry…” Tamaki apologized and Nagi sighed. “But I did hear her.” He then clarified. “She said that the raven was poised to swoop on the mask, whatever that means.” He said. 

“The raven… couldn’t that mean Tsukumo? He is the only one other than us who has been down into the tunnels. Maybe she is upset that he has an amulet?” Iori suggested, which was when Riku recalled that he still hadn’t returned Nagi’s amulet. He did that, and Nagi thanked him. It was clear that a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

“But if the raven is Tsukumo…” Sougo started then. “That means that we really need to figure out a way to get the amulet back off of him. The question is just how to do that.” He added. The others nodded, all of them looking troubled. “It’s not going to be as easy as last time. The one thing that might be to our advantage is that he probably doesn’t know that we have figured out that he has an amulet.” Iori said. 

Iori then turned to Riku. “Did the spirit say anything else?” He asked. Riku shrugged. “She reminded us again to hurry up and do as she says, or pay the consequences, basically. Nothing new.” He said. But then he stiffened up as he realized that she had said something new. 

“There was one more thing.” Riku said seriously. “She might have given us a clue as to who she really is.” He said. Iori’s eyes widened. “She told you who she was? Like, her name?” He asked, now intrgued. 

Riku shook his head. “Well, no… But she said, ‘this ruler may be forgotten, but she will not be ignored’.” He explained. Iori thought about that for a while. “So, she really was egyptian royalty… And a ruler at that. But forgotten? Does she mean forgotten to history? As in, she’s not in any history books?” He asked. 

Riku shook his head again. “I don’t know.” He admitted. Iori sighed and nodded. “We’ll have to look into that as well, though I don’t think it’s a priority right now. The most important things at the moment is to get the amulet back from Tsukumo and advance through the tunnels.” He said. 

That was when Riku remembered what had happened before the spirit had appeared. “The tunnels!” He exclaimed and pulled out the piece of tapestry he had pulled out from the dollhouse. “Iori, when I got back, the dollhouse was all lit up! It gave us a new clue! I forgot because of what happened with the spirit, but I just remembered.” He said. 

“Seriously? You got a new clue?” Tamaki asked, now with an excited smile on his face. Riku nodded enthusiastically. “What did it say?” Sougo asked. Riku read the riddle again, this time so that everyone could hear. 

_“Upon the foundation on which this house rests, lies the solution to the spider web test. To find the armourer and scholar’s hollow, the silver thread of fate you must follow.”_ Riku read. “That’s what it says.” He then added. 

Iori got his usual thoughtful expression on his face as he considered the riddle. “The armourer and scholar’s hollow…” He repeated. “Scholar has to do with reading, right?” Tamaki asked. “Maybe it means the library?” He suggested. 

Iori frowned. “I don’t know… I’m not sure if that fits with the rest of the riddle though.” He said. “Are you sure? There was an old armor in there before the exhibit, do you remember? There was all that fuss about it needing to be moved while we were preparing for the bid.” Riku pointed out. 

“I suppose we could check it out…” Iori said. “But let’s also keep thinking about it for now. We can go check the library tomorrow, okay?” He then suggested. The others nodded in agreement, and so, Sibuna had decided what to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a new clue! Everyone found out something new this time around, Sibuna got their clue, trigger finally has their gem, and Tsumugi learned some new suspicious info about Vera. What will happen next? Find out on Wednesday, because that's when I'll be back with a new chapter! Thank you for reading, and even bigger thanks to those who decide to leave kudos or comments! <3


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu go to Sousuke to ask about the Watanabe Shield, meanwhile, Sibuna tries to solve their new riddle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again with a new chapter. I hope you will enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that on Twitter: @EFagerhag

It took Gaku a lot of willpower to not simply walk away from his father’s office. For as long as he could remember, Gaku’s relationship with his dad had been a bit strained, if not outright hostile. To seek him out, not to question him or argue with him, was something new, and frankly, mildly terrifying. Had he not had his two best friends with him, Gaku was sure he would have bolted already.

But now, as Ryuu knocked and Sousuke called for them to come in, Gaku straightened his back met his father’s gaze without his usual defiance. “Hey dad.” He said, closing the door behind him. 

Sousuke raised an eyebrow in question, apparently he had registered the non-hostile way Gaku had greeted him. “What do you three want?” He asked, coldly, but not with the usual underlying annoyance he would have. 

Gaku cleared his throat. “Well… You’re always stressing about our school’s reputation, right? The other day, we noticed that our display case seemed rather… barren. We think we can help.” He said. 

Sousuke tilted his head to the side curiously. “You want to help? How?” He asked. “The Watanabe shield.” Tenn said before Gaku had a chance to do anything about it. “I heard it was a trophy that was originally donated to the school by Watanabe Ritsu. We would like to win it back.” He explained. 

Now they fully had Sousuke’s attention. “You three want to win back the Watanabe shield? It hasn’t been in this school for over twenty years now… Yes, maybe it is about time we tried to get it back.” He said, clearly on board with the idea. Gaku smiled. “Well, what do we need to do to win it back?” He asked eagerly. 

Sousuke opened his computer and typed something, then he turned the screen around so that Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu could see it. “The Watanabe shield is a rather unique prize. Anyone may challenge the current holders of the shield, and the winner brings it back. It was originally donated to Yaotome Academy in the 1940s by Watanabe Sara in honour of her late father, Watanabe Ritsu, archaeologist and ping pong enthusiast.” Sousuke explained. 

Gaku stared at his dad. “Ping pong? That’s the sport where you can win the shield?” He asked. Sousuke nodded seriously. “Yes. Ping pong played in pairs. Any japanese school may challenge the previous winners at any given time throughout the year, so there’s only one opponent to beat. That being said, the last winners have already managed to hold onto it for 13 years. It will be difficult to beat them,” He said. 

Gaku nodded bitterly, but his eyes shone with determination. “When can you set up a meeting?” He asked. Sousuke sighed, then met Gaku’s eyes. “Gaku, if you are serious about this, I will contact the school later today. I could have a match set up in about a week.” He said. Gaku smirked, then turned to Ryuu and Tenn, who both nodded, giving him the green light. Gaku turned back to his father. “Set up the match.” 

For the third time that morning, Tsumugi disregarded Akihiko’s questions of concern. She was aware that she was pacing, and that she looked troubled doing so, but she just couldn’t get the issue with Vera out of her head. She wasn’t entirely sure where to go from here. 

Part of Tsumugi wanted to ask Akihiko about his involvement with the new housemother, but another part was unsure whether or not that would be wise. She knew that he had helped Vera before, but it had sounded like it was under threat. Tsumugi wanted to believe that even if Akihiko was involved with her, that it wasn’t of his free will. She really liked him and didn’t think he was a bad man. 

Then she recalled how the headmaster had told her that Akihiko had been the one who recommended Vera. Maybe she could ask him about that, and leave out the conversation she had overheard a few nights ago between Akihiko and Vera. 

Having made up her mind, Tsumugi stopped pacing and instead walked right up to Akihiko. “Akihiko-san, excuse me, but I have a question for you.” She said. Akihiko smiled down at her kindly. “Go ahead.” He told her. 

Tsumugi nodded. “It’s about Vera. I heard that you recommended her for my old job at Anubis House, do you know her well?” She asked. For a minute, the museum curator tensed up, but within seconds he had schooled his expression and relaxed his posture. 

Akihiko gave Tsumugi another smile. “As a matter of fact, I’m not that close to her. But she is a friend of a friend's of sorts, so I was happy to recommend her as a favour. I had never even met her before she started here.” He explained. 

Tsumugi nodded, though she wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not. She wanted to, but she could tell he had been nervous when Tsumugi asked about Vera. “I see… Do you know where she used to work before this? I’m just a bit… curious about her is all.” Tsumugi answered. 

Akihiko chuckled. “Tsumugi-san, could it be… Are you perhaps a bit jealous of Vera Devenish?” He asked smugly. Tsumugi became a bit flustered as she denied this. “O-of course not! That’s ridiculous.” She said, laughing awkwardly. 

Akihiko smiled in understanding and patted her shoulder in a friendly manner. “Not to worry, it’s all natural. You don’t want to see those boys you cared for get attached to some other housemother, and there’s no shame in that. But I assure you, Vera is a good person, not as good as you, but she will look after them.” He said. 

Tsumugi nodded, but Akihiko must have been able to tell that she wasn’t convinced. “If it will make you feel better, I heard that Vera used to work as a cook for an old man awhile back. Mr. Hibiki I believe his name was.” He told her. 

Tsumugi smiled graciously and nodded. “Right, thank you. You’re probably right. I have nothing to worry about.” She said, forcing a smile on her face. Next up, she would have to find and question this ‘Mr. Hibiki’. 

When Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Sougo and Nagi came back from searching the library, they were quite dejected that they hadn’t found anything. Despite that, Iori had not been able to let go of the thought that they hadn’t been looking in the right place. He kept going over the riddle in his head, hoping that sooner or later it would start to make sense. So far, it had not happened. 

However, as soon as they stepped inside Anubis House, he had a breakthrough. “That’s it!” He exclaimed, making them all turned to him. “What? Did you realize something?” Riku asked. Iori nodded and smiled before taking the others with him into the living room. Luckily, they were alone, so Iori could go ahead and explain. 

“Riku, Yotsuba-san, do you guys remember when we just found the study and decided to try and go through some of Ritsu’s old journals because we didn’t know what else to do?” Iori asked. Riku and Tamaki nodded in reply. Iori continued. “Right, in one of the books I read through, Ritsu wrote about his interest in history. Apparently, it started when he found out that his ancestors used to make armor for samurais.” 

The others still looked a bit confused, so Iori continued. “Watanabe Ritsu, who was a scholar, came from a family of armourers! Furthermore, the first part of the riddle mentions ‘the foundation on which this house rests’. Couldn’t the foundation be the ones who built it? The riddle is talking about Watanabe Ritsu.” He said. 

“Oh my god, you are right!” Riku exclaimed, a big smile on his face. “We need to find something hollow related to Watanabe Ritsu.” He added. “There’s a painting of him and his wife in here, could that be it?” Sougo asked then, pointing at a wall in the dining room portion of the living room. 

“Let’s check it out.” Iori said, walking over to where the painting was. Carefully, he lifted it off the wall, checked the back, found nothing, and placed it on the floor. Tamaki walked up to him and started knocking on the wall. After his third knock, he smiled triumphantly. “It’s hollow.” He declared. 

“Is there a way to open it?” Sougo asked eagerly. However, Tamaki wasn’t able to find anything. “Not without breaking the wall, it seems.” He answered. Iori stepped forward and frowned. They couldn’t just break the wall, there had to be something else to it… 

And that when he saw it. Starting from the hook the painting had been hung on there was a thin silver thread going up along the wall and into the ceiling. “I don’t think we have to break it. Look.” Iori said, pointing at the thread. “The silver thread of fate… I forgot about that part.” Riku said. 

“How are we supposed to follow it? It goes into the ceiling? Do we go upstairs?” Tamaki asked. But Iori shook his head. “Maybe not…” He said before reaching out and grabbing ahold of the thin thread. Then, without warning, he yanked on it as hard as he could. 

They all gasped, and then there was the sound of a hatch opening. Only, it didn’t open in the wall, it opened in the ceiling. And from there, attached to another silver thread, was a big, metallic spider. 

Riku walked up to it while also staring in awe. He then carefully grabbed ahold of it and removed it from the thread. After giving it a once-over, Riku found that there was writing on the spider’s stomach. “Guys, look here.” He said. 

_“To pass beyond the weaver’s throne, lay her daughters in their home, move with care through her poisoned loom, the scarlet thread may spell your doom.”_ Riku read out loud so that they all could hear. Tamaki gulped. “Anyone else concerned about the part that says ‘the scarlet thread may spell your doom’?” He asked. 

“It’s possible the red threads down in the tunnels are coated in something worse than just a sting. Either way, let’s not find that out the hard way.” Nagi said. “But guys, I think this is what we have been looking for!” Riku exclaimed. “I think it’s the same shape and size as that indentation in the wall down in the tunnels! I think we have to put it there, and then we can advance! We should go now, as soon as possible!” He said excitedly. 

However, Iori stopped him. “Aren’t you being a bit hasty? First of all, what does that part of the riddle that says, ‘lay her daughters in their home’ mean? I think we should think this over a bit more before we go down there. Besides, tonight Akihiko-san is showing a movie at the exhibition and Tsumugi-san had something else to do, so Nii-san and I promised to help him out.” Iori said. 

Riku frowned. “But we need to keep going as soon as possible! You know that the spirit lady is putting pressure on us! You don’t need to leave for another hour or so, right? We could go before then!” He exclaimed. 

Iori shook his head in reply. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea! Like I said, we don’t know what the new riddle means yet! But we can go tomorrow, that way we’ll have time to think about it, and I’m also not busy then.” He argued. 

“Are you saying some stupid movie is more important than finding the mask? Iori, if we don’t find it as soon as possible, I die! We all die!” Riku replied, clearly upset. Iori started feeling a bit guilty, but he still believed that it would be better if they did it tomorrow as opposed to tonight. 

“I’m sorry, but I really think we should just wait! Besides, I promised Akihiko-san I would be there! I was even thinking that maybe you wanted to come along.You know, it’s a movie about ancient Egypt, maybe we could learn something. And… we never went to see a film together before.” Iori said. 

Riku, however, wouldn’t have it. He scoffed and glared at Iori. “Well, that’s not happening. Have fun going to the movies ALONE.” He said before walking away, slamming the door as he left. 

Iori tried to focus on the movie, he really did. It was a movie about ancient Egypt, its rulers, its customs and its history. He should find it interesting, or maybe he should try and concentrate only so that he could try and find some piece of useful information. However, none of what he heard or saw was enough to distract him from his own thoughts. 

After his fight with Riku, Iori had also stormed off before any of his friends could comment on it. He had then proceeded to hide out in his room until Mitsuki came for him when it was time to head over to the library. After that, he had been sort of distracted with the preparations, but the moment he sat back down when the movie started, it all came back to him. 

He couldn’t help but feel guilty, that maybe he should have listened to Riku. Then again, nothing good would come from them rushing into each task, especially when there was danger involved. Iori thought about that part of the new riddle that said, ‘the scarlet thread may spell your doom’. Yeah, they really needed to be careful when doing this task. 

Iori knew Riku was only rushing them because he was feeling stressed about the curse, which was understandable. Iori was stressed about it too, of course, but if they died before they could get to the mask because they were being reckless, then the curse wouldn’t matter. He would have to talk to Riku again, preferably when they were alone. 

Iori was just about to give up on trying to concentrate on the movie in favour of thinking about his talk with Riku when something caught his attention. They were currently talking about the many rulers of ancient Egypt when something that sounded familiar was brought up. 

_“As the centuries have passed, this evil monarch of ancient Egypt has been assigned to the trashcan of history. We only know them as The Forgotten Ruler.”_ The narrator in the movie said. “The Forgotten Ruler…” Iori whispered as he remembered what Riku and Nagi had told him about the spirit’s last visit. Hadn’t she said that she was a ruler who had been forgotten? Iori silently cursed that he hadn’t been paying attention, thus missing the first part about this ruler in the movie. Luckily, they weren’t quite finished yet. 

Iori leaned forward in his seat and listened as the narrator kept going. _“It is thought that this female ruled by fear and left a trail of misery and destruction throughout Egypt in revenge. Sadly, very little is know about her and her time as a monarch.”_ The narrator said before soon moving on to the next ruler. 

Iori sighed, but he kept listening, hoping that they might bring up this ruler again. He had a feeling that she might be the one harassing them now. He would have to tell Riku and the others when he returned that night. For now though, he decided to keep trying to focus on the movie. 

That evening, Riku and Nagi were joined by Tamaki and Sougo in their room. They had decided that at the very least, they could go through the riddle and see if they could figure it out. Riku was pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself. He had been a bit grumpy ever since he and Iori had their little disagreement, but the others didn’t want to comment on it, as they didn’t want to make Riku more upset. 

When they still hadn’t come up with anything after about an hour, Tamaki sighed and dramatically flopped down on Riku’s bed. “When does Iorin get back?” Tamaki asked. “He’s always the best at coming up with solutions for the riddles.” He then added. 

Riku scoffed. “Iori is not the only one who can solve riddles. We can solve them too! In fact, we often do! We don’t need him to figure it out.” He said and grabbed ahold of the spider to check the inscription again. 

Sougo and Nagi gave Tamaki a pointed look then, saying they should maybe not bring Iori up right now and instead wait until they could solve this discourse themselves. Still, Sougo leaned in and whispered in Tamaki’s ear. “Iori-kun should be back in about an hour.” He said. 

Then, Riku groaned loudly. “I don’t know what we’re missing! The first part, ‘to pass beyond the weaver’s throne’, must mean ‘to get passed the web’. And the final part, ‘move with care through her poisoned loom, the scarlet thread may spell your doom’, is talking about how we can’t touch the strings. That the red might even be lethal. The problem is this; ‘lay her daughters in their home’. What are her daughters? I feel like we’re missing something…” He said. 

Tamaki reached out his hands then. “Here, let me check the spider again.” He said. Riku frowned. “We keep checking it again and again, I don’t know if we’re going to find anything.” He said, but still handed the metal spider over to Tamaki. 

However, when Riku let go, the spider slipped out of Tamaki’s hands and collided with the floor, making it so that the bottom half of the spider’s stomach came off. “Tamaki! Why didn’t you hold it?!” Riku exclaimed and knelt in front of the spider. 

“I’m sorry! I thought I had it!” Tamaki said and knelt beside Riku to check on their spider. But when they lifted it, they saw that the bottom was not all that had come off the spider. It seemed like there had been three smaller spiders hidden inside of the big one. 

Riku picked them all up carefully and inspected them. They looked the same, a small, metallic spider with a loop at the top. The only difference was that they all had a different colored dot on its back, one red, one yellow and one silver. 

Riku looked up at the others then, a smile on his face. “I think we found her daughters.” He said. “Look, they are each attached to a loop at their heads. I bet we are supposed to hang these on the corresponding hooks down in the tunnels! The red spider on the red hook, the yellow spider on the yellow hook, and the silver spider on the silver hook.” 

Tamaki grabbed the piece of the big spider that had come off and reattached it, then turned to Riku with a triumphant smile. “That has to be it! We figured it out!” He declared happily. Riku nodded. “Yes! Now that we know what to do, we can go back into the tunnels! Let’s go!” He said and stood up. 

However, the others didn’t seem quite as keen on the idea. “Riku-kun, shouldn’t we wait for Iori-kun to get back? He should be back in a little less than an hour.” Sougo said. Tamaki nodded in agreement. “Yeah, besides, he is our best weave walker!” He added. Nagi also nodded. “I agree. There are three hooks, three daughters, so three of us should enter the weave. And both you and Tamaki struggle with it. It should be me, Sougo and Iori who goes.” He said. 

Riku frowned. “We don’t have time to wait! I’ll go instead of Iori, I know I can do it! Beisdes, he has more important things to do.” He said, rolling his eyes. The others suspected that part of the reason why Riku wanted to go so bad was because of his disagreement with Iori. Whether he wanted a distraction or just wanted to prove Iori wrong, they didn’t know. Still, they knew that the underlying reason, the curse, was serious. So, in the end they decided to go. 

“Okay, let’s go do it then.” Nagi said, though both he, Sougo and Tamaki looked a bit uncertain as they followed Riku downstairs. Whether they liked it or not, it was time to do the spider web test. 

Walking back to the house, Iori listened to his brother rant about the movie. Or rather, he tried to listen but found it rather hard as he had a lot of thoughts swirling around in his head. He was still thinking about Riku and their argument, thinking about what he could say to his boyfriend to make up for it. He was also thinking about the movie and the spirit. In the end, they did not mention ‘The Forgotten Ruler’ again for the duration of the movie, so all Iori knew was that she was an evil, Egyptian queen. 

“Iori?” Mitsuki asked, seeing as Iori had been spacing out. Iori blinked a few times, then forced a smile on his face and turned to his brother. “Sorry, you were saying?” He asked. Mitsuki chuckled and gave Iori an amused smile. “I was asking if you were okay. You’ve been spacing out all evening. And don’t even try to deny it, you just proved that I was right.” He said. 

Iori sighed and gave Mitsuki a sad smile. “It’s nothing much. I just had a little disagreement with Riku earlier today. I guess I was thinking about that.” He explained. Mitsuki nodded in understanding. “I see. Well, make sure to hear him out and apologize, okay? You two make a good pair, so don’t let one little argument destroy that. I know that you have a hard time opening up to others, so make sure not to push him away.” Mitsuki lectured. 

Iori scoffed and rolled his eyes, but still gave Mitsuki a nod in confirmation. “I know, I’ll make sure to talk to him tomorrow, since it is pretty late now.” He said. Then he blushed and added something more. “And I won’t let it get between us. I don’t want to let him go.” He admitted. 

Mitsuki laughed then and patted Iori’s back encouragingly. “Well, that’s good to hear! Good luck, little brother!” He said, and that ended that conversation. 

When they got back to the house, it was already past ten o’clock, so they had to sneak in. Mitsuki quickly excused himself, saying he was really tired, and then headed upstairs to his own bedroom. Iori headed for his own, feeling quite tired as well. However, when he opened the door, he was surprised to find the room empty. 

Iori frowned, why wasn’t Tamaki there? Chances were that he had either gone to the bathroom, was in the kitchen making a late-night-snack, or were still in Nagi and Riku’s room, working on the riddle. Iori knew that there was one more option, but surely his friends hadn’t been that hasty. 

Just to be safe, Iori decided to check it out. He started with the downstairs bathroom, which was empty, and then headed for the kitchen. Still no sight of Tamaki. With a sigh, Iori carefully made his way up the stairs. Tsukumo was in his office, but he seemed to be asleep at his desk again, so getting past him wasn’t all that difficult. 

Iori carefully knocked on the door to Nagi and Riku’s room so that he wouldn’t accidentally wake anyone up. When he received no reply, Iori entered anyway, only to find that room empty as well. Okay, now he was really getting worried. Just to be thorough, Iori checked the upstairs bathroom as well, and even dared to take a peek in his brother’s room, to see if Sougo was still in his bed. But he only found his brother and Yamato asleep in there. 

Iori had to admit it, Riku, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo must have gone into the tunnels to finish the task without him. Iori was worried, they still hadn’t managed to solve it fully, at least not as far as he knew. And even if they had figured something out while he was gone, it was still a dangerous task, and they all knew Iori was the best at getting through the spider’s web. 

Iori didn’t see any other choice than to follow them down there by himself, to make sure that nothing went wrong. And so, he headed into the kitchen, only to realize that he wouldn’t be able to enter that way. In order to do that, he needed both Riku and his locket. And right now, they were both down in the tunnels. 

Iori had to go through the main entrance, which was locked. Stealing the key from Tsukumo was too risky, which left one option. He had to pick the lock. However, lockpicking was never something he had been good at, it was always Riku who took care of that. Still, Iori believed that he had watched his boyfriend do it enough times that he could replicate the process. 

He went into his bedroom and grabbed some of Tamaki’s bobby pins, since those were what Riku usually used. Then, Iori went over to the cellar door and got to work. It was way harder than it looked when Riku did it, for him it usually only took about a minute. Iori had been standing there for five minutes now, getting more and more frustrated by the second. 

Finally, the lock gave way and Iori could enter. He did a silent cheer and then quickly made his way downstairs. He had a feeling that something was about to go wrong, so he had to get to his friends in time to stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hurry up Iori! Or will that really be necessary? Maybe the others will clear the task all on their own? What do you think? You'll find out on Saturday, when I'll be back with chapter 28! Thank you for reading, I really hope you liked it. And thank you to those who decide to leave kudos and comments! <3


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku, Sougo, Nagi and Tamaki are in the tunnels, attempting to clear the spider web test. But then something goes wrong, will Iori make it there in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with chapter 28! I hope you enjoy it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me about it, feel free to contact me over on twitter: @EFagerhag

“Are you sure about this?” Tamaki asked Riku as they stood there, staring out across the web strung up in the tunnels. Riku nodded. “We have to do this. The sooner we can advance through these tunnels, the better.” He said, then turned to Tamaki with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll go with Sougo-san and Nagi, you can stay here.” Riku announced.

Tamaki nodded and smiled a small smile. “Yeah, I know. But are you sure you don’t want to wait? We can still go back.” He said. Riku frowned. “Yes, I’m sure. We have already come all the way down here, so let’s not waste it. Everybody, take a baby spider and let’s go.” He said seriously before holding out the three small spiders. 

Nagi and Sougo gave each other a look, then nodded and took one each. Sougo grabbed the red spider and Nagi grabbed the yellow one, leaving Riku with the silver one. Then they all turned towards the web, preparing themselves for what they were about to do. 

The red hook was the furthest away, right in the middle of the web. The yellow one was closer to the right wall, while the silver one was closer to the left. Riku gulped. “Okay, let’s do this. We’ll move slowly and carefully through the web, it’s better than trying to rush our way through carelessly. The most important thing is to not hit any strings, it will have to take however long it will.” He declared. 

Nagi and Sougo nodded. “We make our way to our designated hook, then when we’re all there, we hang the spider babies on the hooks.” Nagi said. “Exactly.” Riku said, the turned around. “And Tamaki, watch out for us, if you notice us getting close to a string that we don’t notice, you tell us.” He said. 

This time, Tamaki nodded. “I’ll do my best. But be careful. Promise.” He said, clearly feeling worried for the others. Riku, Nagi and Sougo all nodded and smiled reassuringly. “Okay, let’s do this then.” Riku said, turning back to the web. Nagi and Sougo followed suit and then they all started making their way past the strings. 

They moved slowly, making one movement at a time as to not hit any of the strings. Every once in a while, Tamaki called out to them. Although, sometimes it was just because he was too nervous, and they actually had the situation under control. They were a bit slower than they had anticipated, but they had all agreed to take all the time they needed, so no one really minded the slow pace. 

There had been a few close calls, most of them for Riku, but so far no one had hit any of the strings. They were almost halfway to the hooks when things started to go wrong. It all started when Tamaki yelled about a red string above Nagi’s head that the blond hadn’t noticed, and thus almost hit. This caused both Sougo and Riku to whip their heads around to cast worried gazes Nagi’s way. As Tamaki was busy guiding Nagi’s head to safety away from the red string, Sougo and Riku watched intensely. 

However, it was in this tense moment that Riku was so concentrated on Nagi’s situation that he didn’t notice his own. When Nagi was done, Tamaki too late noticed that Riku’s hand was just about to collide with a yellow string, and as he called out to him, Riku startled and brushed the back of his hand against it. 

Riku pulled his hand back and tensed, waiting for whatever the yellow string did to hit him. He expected pain, maybe a burn or a sting or something. But when nothing seemed to happen, he looked at the others, a small disbelieving smile on his face. “It’s… It’s fine, nothing’s happening.” He said, making them all relax. 

Tamaki whimpered and shook his head. “Geez, you scared me!” He exclaimed. “Maybe the yellow strings don’t do anything?” Sougo observed. Nagi nodded. “If so, we could touch them. It would make all of this so much easier.” He said. 

Riku smiled and straightened up, and that was the moment he noticed that something was in fact wrong. The room started spinning and he heard voices, horrible voices screaming in fear and pain. Nagi and Sougo turned around at the sound of Riku’s laboured breathing and saw that he was struggling. 

“What’s happening? What’s going on?” Tamaki asked worriedly. Riku shook his head frantically. “No… No… Make it stop…!” He called out. The room started to warp in his eyes, creating shapes, monsters and fearful things, the stuff of nightmares. Riku tried to move, his cheek hitting a silver string in the process. He cried out and knelt down, tears running down his cheeks. 

“Riku, calm down!” Nagi called out. They were all really worried now, but they didn’t know what to do. “It’s the yellow string.” Sougo observed. “I think it’s making him see and hear things. Like hallucinations.” He suggested. 

Riku was still making small movements, which normally wouldn’t have been a problem, but when he was in the middle of a poisonous web, it was a very big problem. “We have to help him! We have to calm him down!” Tamaki exclaimed. Sougo, who was the closest to Riku other than Tamaki, nodded. “I’ll go, but it might take a while.” He said. Nagi and Tamaki nodded. Tamaki then cursed the fact that he was so slow and sloppy when they practiced, otherwise he could have gone after Riku, seeing as he was actually closer. 

Thus, Sougo started making his way towards Riku. But even if he was the closest, it was still a slow process, since he himself didn’t want to risk touching any strings. He was moving too slowly and Riku was getting more and more agitated by the second. He had hit another silver string with his wrist, which really didn’t make the situation any better. 

That was when Tamaki noticed something that horrified him even more. “Sou-chan! Rikkun’s head is about to hit a red string! He’s leaning further and further back!” He called out. Sougo looked up, and sure enough, slowly but surely Riku’s head was getting closer and closer to a red string. 

While still moving, Sougo was yelling out for Riku to watch out, as did Tamaki and Nagi. But they could all see that Sougo wouldn’t make it in time. They were all so focused on this that none of them noticed the hurried footsteps making their way through the tunnel, it wasn’t until Iori called out for Riku that Nagi, Sougo and Tamaki noticed him. 

“Riku!” Iori yelled, before he quickly entered the web, not even waiting for an explanation. All Iori knew was that something had gone wrong and that Riku was in danger because of it. Starting from where Tamaki stood, Iori was now the closest to Riku. He was also the best and fastest web walker of the five. If anyone could reach Riku in time, it was Iori. 

Riku was barely a centimeter away now, Sougo and Nagi yelled desperately for Riku to come to his senses while Tamaki closed his eyes, scared of what would happen. And just as Riku was about to make contact with the red string, Iori reached him, grabbed his head and pulled it forward, away from the string behind him. Iori held Riku, his hands on either side of Riku’s head, and just looked into his eyes. Riku stopped moving around then, but he was still breathing hard and crying. 

Nagi, Sougo and Tamaki finally relaxed slightly now that the immediate danger was gone. WIthout looking away from Riku’s eyes, Iori called out to all of them. “We need to get back out of the web. Yotsuba-san, help Rokuya-san and Osaka-san. I’ll get Riku out.” He said. Tamaki nodded, still shaken up, but present enough to start helping his friends get back. 

As Nagi and Sougo moved back the way they had come, Iori slowly and carefully guided Riku back out of the web. A few minutes later, they were all out of the web. Iori helped Riku sit down against one of the walls, then sat down in front of him and talked to him reassuringly until he calmed down. 

After that, Riku was so exhausted that he practically collapsed against Iori’s chest, light snores leaving his mouth. The traumatizing event that had just taken place must have drained all of his energy. Iori sighed, wrapped an arm around Riku and hoisted him up. Then he turned to the others. “What happened here?” He asked. 

Tamaki explained it all, how they had found the babies in the spider and solved the riddle, how Riku had convinced them to come down here, how they had moved through the web, and finally, how Riku had hit the yellow string. Nagi and Sougo added a small detail here and there, but otherwise they mostly stayed silent. 

Iori sighed. “This is why I wanted to wait…” He muttered. Then he looked down on the now asleep Riku in his arms and all the annoyance on his face melted away. Now there was nothing but concern in his expression. “We need to get Riku out of here. We need to clean his cheek and wrist where he touched the silver strings, then get him to bed.” He said. 

The other three nodded in agreement, then they helped Iori hoist Riku up on his back so that Iori could give him a piggyback ride back upstairs. As they made their way through the tunnels, Iori said, “We’ll talk more about this tomorrow.” The others could do nothing but agree with him as they left the tunnels after that fail of an attempt. 

The next morning, Iori headed upstairs as soon as he could. He got changed before he left, but that was it. He stopped before the door to Riku and Nagi’s room and hesitated. He needed to talk to Riku, but more than that, he just wanted to make sure the other boy was okay after what happened last night. It was quite early though, so he hoped that at least one of the room’s occupants were awake. 

Iori knocked on the door, and a few seconds later, Nagi answered it. He smiled and opened the door wider, letting Iori come inside. “I figured you would come. I was just about to head down for breakfast, so I’ll leave you two alone. Riku’s still asleep though.” Nagi said. 

Iori nodded and walked into the room, casting a quick glance at Riku before looking back at Nagi. “Thanks.” He said. Nagi nodded and then he really did leave the room, closing the door behind him. Iori took a deep breath, then walked over to Riku’s bed and sat down at the side of it. He didn’t want to wake him up, but he needed to check on how he was feeling. And so, Iori reached out and lightly took ahold of Riku’s shoulder, carefully shaking him awake. 

Riku groaned and curled up in bed. Iori smiled fondly and kept shaking him. This time, Riku slowly opened his eyes. Riku looked around, his gaze finally settling on Iori. Iori wasn’t sure what he was expecting, whether Riku would still be angry with him, if he would be grateful for Iori helping him last night, if he even remembered Iori coming for him at all. He did not, however, expect the total lack of any emotions that overtook Riku’s face when he saw him. 

Riku sat up and Iori gulped down his nerves before reaching out, placing the back of his hand against Riku’s forehead. At least Riku didn’t flinch away at his touch. “You have no fever. How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened last night?” Iori asked in concern. 

Now, Riku looked more sad than anything. “I remember… And I feel okay, nothing hurts.” He answered, then looked down at his own hands, inspecting the small burn on the back of his wrist. Then he reached up and touched his face. “How does it look? Is it bad?” Riku asked. 

Iori shook his head. “It’s healing as it should. It’s not as bad as the burn on your wrist, really. It should be gone in a few days.” He answered and Riku nodded in reply. 

Then both boys opened their mouths, and simultaneously they said the same two words. “I’m sorry.” The room turned silent after that, but they both smiled shyly now. Then Riku gestured for Iori to go ahead and start. 

Iori nodded. “I’m sorry for last night. You know that I think this quest is more important than anything, right? I just didn’t want to rush into anything and get us hurt. But even so, I should have been there with you last night.” He said. 

Riku laughed weakly then. “You were right though.” He said, then he looked up at Iori, an apologetic look on his face. “We should have waited, at least until you made it back. I’m sorry I rushed things. I just got so excited when we found the spider babies and realized what we had to do! And then… I was maybe a bit angry with you still, which was why I didn’t want to wait.” Riku explained. “It was so silly, but I just wasn’t thinking last night.” He added. 

Iori reached out and took Riku’s hand in his own. “It’s okay, at least no one else got hurt. And in the end, everything was okay. We’ll just have to try again. But this time, maybe you should sit it out.” He said. 

Riku rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement. “I guess so… Anyway, thank you for coming last night. How did you know to come find us when you did?” Riku asked. Iori smiled at him. “Well, I figured you had gone down there when I couldn’t find either one of you. I just got this feeling that something bad was going to happen, so I rushed over there.” Iori explained. 

Riku nodded. “Good thing you did. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if… If you didn’t come.” He said, shuddering at the thought. Iori let go of Riku’s hands then and instead reached out and cupped his face in his hands. “Hey, don’t think about that now.” He said, leaning in closer so that his forehead was resting against Riku’s own. 

Riku closed his eyes, took a deep breath and relaxed, Iori’s touch offering the comfort he needed. Riku then opened his eyes and smiled at him. Iori however, looked a bit uncertain. He averted his gaze, only to return it to Riku a second later. “Are we good now?” He then asked. 

Riku giggled. “Considering you saved my life, again, yes, we are good.” Riku said, and, to make his point clear, he grabbed ahold of Iori’s shirt and pulled him closer until their lips collided. The kiss lasted a minute before they both pulled back, now with matching smiles on their faces. “I’m glad.” Iori said, making Riku laugh. 

Then Iori remembered that there was something else he needed to tell Riku, something he had discovered last night. “Oh right, I almost forgot. Last night, when I was at the library with Nii-san and Akihiko-san watching that movie, they brought up something interesting. The movie was talking about Egyptian rulers at one point, and they mentioned someone called ‘The Forgotten Ruler’.” 

Riku’s eyes widened. “The Forgotten Ruler?” He asked and Iori nodded. “Our ghost friend said she was a ruler who was forgotten, do you think the movie was talking about her?” Riku then asked. Again, Iori nodded. “I think so, though I’m not sure. They didn’t say much about her, just that she was an evil queen and that not much was known about her.” He explained. 

Riku nodded thoughtfully. “But The Forgotten Ruler was a woman then? At least that’s one thing our spirit has in common with her.” He commented. “Yes.” Iori agreed. “Actually, I was thinking that we could perhaps go and ask Akihiko-san about her. He might know something else that the movie didn't bring up.” He then suggested. 

Riku eagerly nodded. “That’s a good idea! We should leave as soon as we can!” He exclaimed, moving his legs over the edge of the bed and standing up. “Woah, what did we say about rushing?! Get changed and have breakfast with me first, then we can go see Akihiko-san.” Iori lectured. 

Riku pouted but still agreed to it. Then Iori left Riku to get dressed so that they could head out as soon as possible. 

Once they had finished eating, Iori and Riku quickly headed out and started making their way towards the Watanabe Library. They had decided to go just the two of them, partly because the others weren’t done yet and they didn’t want to wait, but also because they were the only ones who were really close with Akihiko. 

They soon reached the library and entered. They greeted Tsumugi and then went to find Akihiko. “Ah, Iori, Riku! Welcome! What brings you here this morning?” He asked. Iori and Riku said their hellos and then got straight to the point. “Actually, I had a question regarding the movie we saw last night.” Iori said. 

Akihiko smiled brightly and nodded for Iori to go on and ask his question. “At one point, they mentioned someone, The Forgotten Ruler. They didn’t say much about her, but it got me curious. Do you know anything else about her?” Iori asked. 

“Ah, The Forgotten Ruler! Interesting.” Akihiko said, a wondrous gleam in his eyes. “I do know a bit more, but it’s not much, mind you. As a matter of fact, nobody knows much of anything about her. She was a terrible, tyrannical queen, ruled Egypt shortly after Tutankhamun. Archaeologists found an empty tomb in 1913, the inscriptions in there are the only written record that she ever existed.” He explained. 

Iori furrowed his brows. “The tomb was empty? Had it been looted?” He asked. Akihiko shook his head. “No, the tomb showed no signs that anyone had entered it before the archaeologists, at least not since ancient times. I say empty, but that’s not entirely true. There was no sarcophagus, no body, no offerings. The only object inside the tomb was crown.” Akihiko explained. 

Riku felt something then, like a cold that seeped into his spine. He turned around, almost expecting to see the spirit there, but it was nothing. Still, he felt like there was something important he was meant to see. He followed his instincts and started moving, and soon he had ended up in front of a display case. 

Riku’s eyes widened at the sight before him. Inside was the crown of The Forgotten Ruler, it was part of the exhibition. The crown was made of gold and had a beetle in the center. From the beetle protruded a pair of wings, most likely symbolizing the goddess Isis. On the sides were two snakes curled up. The crown was also adorned by white and blue jewels. On top of that, Riku recognized it. It was the same crown the spirit wore, confirming that she was indeed The Forgotten Ruler. 

From behind him, Riku could hear Iori and Akihiko still talking. “Actually, an acquaintance of mine told me the most extraordinary thing a while back. He claimed to have heard stories of The Forgotten Ruler, stories that told us more than history ever could have. It even mentioned her name.” Akihiko said. 

Riku heard Iori gasp. “Her name? What is it?” He asked. Akihiko hummed in thought. “What was it again? It’s right on the tip of my tongue…” He said, trying to remember her name. 

Then, Riku started hearing things, whispers. He couldn’t fully make them out, but he knew they had to do with the spirit. If he looked away from the crown for even a second, they would stop. 

Riku focused on the crown, trying to make out what the voices were whispering in his head. Akihiko was struggling to remember the name, meanwhile, that was exactly what Riku was starting to make out. “enk… ra… en… ara…” It said, fragments of a word, fragments of a name. Then, suddenly it became clear. “Senkhara…” Riku said, repeating what the voices in his head had said. 

Akihiko and Iori turned to him then, Akihiko’s eyes wide. “Yes! Senkhara was her name! How did you know?” He asked. Riku looked over at them and shook his head. “I don’t know… The name just sort of… popped into my head.” He said. 

Riku looked at Iori, both their gazes filled with the same emotions, fear and wonder. They now knew who was haunting them, who had cursed them and who was making them find the mask. It was the evil queen, The Forgotten Ruler, Senkhara. 

Vera was growing frustrated. Ever since she had given Tsukumo the fake amulet, he had promptly ignored her. Maybe ignore was the wrong word, but he had at the very least been too busy to include her in whatever it was he was currently working on. And so, Vera had finally decided to pay him a little visit so that she could keep herself updated. 

Vera knocked on the door to Tsukumo’s office, where the house’s caretaker was sat, bent over his desk, consumed in whatever research he was doing. He didn’t acknowledge her, although, he might just be too occupied by his work. That being said, Vera decided to enter anyway. 

As she closed the door and cleared her throat, Vera finally managed to pull Tsukumo’s attention away from his work and over to her. Vera smiled now that she finally had his attention. “Hello, sorry to disturb, I was just wondering how you are progressing? It’s been a few days since I handed you the amulet, and we haven’t really had a chance to talk since then.” She said. 

Tsukumo smiled up at Vera. “I am sorry my dear, but I have been a bit busy. You see, I had an unexpected stroke of good luck the other day.” He said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Vera, now intrigued, sat down opposite him and looked his way in anticipation. “Did you manage to find something in the tunnels?” She asked eagerly. 

Tsukumo shook his head. “No. Or well, yes, I did discover that the kids has managed to uncover the next portion of the tunnels, but the task seems rather risky. It requires a certain agility that I fear I lack. It pains me to admit, but this task may be more suited for the young and nimble.” He admitted. 

Vera nodded. “That seems wise. We don’t want them to know that we are able to follow them, so we should not interfere with any of the tasks. That way, they can do all the hard work, and once the mask is revealed, we need only walk right up to it and take it for our own!” She exclaimed. 

Tsukumo nodded, though he seemed a bit more wary. Vera could tell that he actually did want to solve the tasks himself, he hated leaving that up to others. Still, in order for their plan to work, those brats could not learn that they were following them, so Vera had to convince Tsukumo not to interfere. 

Then Vera remembered that Tsukumo said he had had some luck and wondered what he was referring to. “If the tunnels are not what has you in such a good mood, then may I ask, what is it?” She asked. 

Tsukumo smirked and moved some papers away. Vera’s eyes widened in shock as she saw Tsukumo hold up the papers that she was certain she had hidden in her own room. The final chapter in the Book of Isis. Vera quickly schooled her expression, if Tsukumo had already found them, then there was no point in trying to take them back. “Where on earth did you find them?” She asked, a bit scared that he might say her room. 

“One of the students dropped them the other day. Nanase Tenn.” Tsukumo explained. This confused Vera, Nanase Tenn wasn’t someone she thought was involved with the search for the mask, how did he find those papers? She dismissed the thought, it was a problem for another time. If Tsukumo had gotten his hands on them, she might as well use him for information, seeing as The Collector had chosen not to tell her its content. 

“Have you managed to decipher anything?” Vera asked. Tsukumo sighed. “Only bits and pieces so far. It’s quite complicated, and I believe some of it might be written in code. Some of it sounds like gibberish, but maybe I’m just not familiar with the subject.” He started. 

Tsukumo then pointed to a passage on the page that lay before them. “Take this for example. It says, ‘At the portal of the mind, the weeping Paragon will find…’ Well, actually I don’t know what the Paragon will find. I can’t seem to make sense of that translation. Also, I have no idea what a Paragon is, or what the text means by ‘portal of the mind’.” He explained. 

Vera frowned. “So, in other words, it will need a lot more time before you can make sense of it?” She asked. Tsukumo nodded in reply. “Yes, I mean to do this research while we wait for the children to clear the latest task.” He said. 

Vera nodded. “That seems like a good decision.” She said, then she stood up and gifted Tsukumo another smile. “Then I shall take my leave now. You keep on working.” She said. Tsukumo nodded again, and Vera left, satisfied from their talk. She just had to keep quiet to The Collector about Tsukumo finding the final chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally know the identity of our mysterious spirit... If you're curious about what her crown looks like, here is a picture: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/dARiWHqh1eJymV20QfOktFSEAorVbl-eSfkOGJAvHlnbnvl38W2Dmr9laK7fZdx8OE8DGJPU8EysOS3mZwzVmguLGg5mKvS2JG1Xsi5DETPFxOwfJOk3ZM9WZO9s8qVeVs2KWfVM  
> Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, and I'll be back with the next one on Wednesday! Thank you for reading, and also thanks for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is finally time to do the spider web tes, for real this time. What awaits Sibuna beyond that test?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with the next chapter ^^ Please, enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

“Be careful! Watch out for the yellow thread!” Riku called out to Nagi, who was traversing the web with Sougo and Iori. They were about halfway to the hooks already, each of them holding onto one of the tiny baby spiders. Riku and Tamaki stood at the beginning, watching their friends make their way through the web, occasionally warning them about strings they didn’t see.

Earlier that evening, Sibuna had decided to make a second attempt at crossing the web in the tunnels. No one was very excited about the web test itself, but they all knew that they needed to advance in order not to anger Senkhara. It was still weird to think of the spirit now that they knew who she had been when she was alive, and how she had ended up in Japan was an entirely different mystery. 

Either way, that was why the five Sibuna members now found themselves back in the tunnels, slowly making their way through the spider’s web. So far, no strings had been touched, which was for the best. They knew that both the silver and the yellow thread just cause temporary pain and hallucinations, but they still wanted to avoid it. Then there was the red thread. They didn’t know for sure what that did, as no one had come in contact with it yet, but from the riddle on the spider’s stomach, they had a feeling the red thread might be the most dangerous one. 

“I can almost reach the hook! I just need to take one more step and I’ll be there!” Iori called out soon, much to all of their delight. “Me too! I just have another step to go!” Sougo also called out. “I should have another three or four, but it’s definitely not long left now!” Nagi said from his end of the room. 

Riku and Tamaki watched, tense with anticipation, as their friends got close enough so that they could reach out and hang the spiders on the hooks. Once all three of them were there, they looked at one another and then nodded, saying it was time to hang the daughters in their home. 

Simultaneously, Iori, Nagi and Sougo all took out their spiders and hung them on the hooks hanging from the ceiling. They heard gears turning, and a minute later, the door at the end of the room opened up, revealing a new path ahead. 

Riku and Tamaki cheered. “You guys did it!” Iori, Nagi and Sougo smiled back happily. However, then the smiles melted off their faces. “The spider web… It’s still up. Are we all going to have to make our way through it every time we need to get to the other side?” Riku asked in concern. 

Frowning, Iori looked around, as if he was looking for a switch or something. “There has to be a way around it. Like how we turned off the pendulums over the big drop, or stopped the ceiling from coming down near the hopscotch test.” He argued. 

It was Sougo who came up with the solution. “What about the big spider?” He asked. “The metallic one that held the baby spiders. Didn’t we say it was big enough to fit into that indentation in the wall?” He asked, pointing at the wall near Iori. 

They all looked over there and noted that the size really looked similar. Riku held up the big metallic spider. “It does look like it will fit… But how do we get it over there? We all know that both me and Tamaki are rubbish at moving through the web!” He said. 

Iori crouched down then. “You can push it along the floor to me! I’m the closest, so let me take the spider there!” He offered. Riku nodded, then he bent down, laid the big spider upon the floor and used all his strength to push it Iori’s way. It almost reached him, but Iori only had to move once to get to it. 

Now that Iori had the big spider, he held it firmly in his arms as he carefully made his way through the web to the left wall, where the indentation was. He reached it a few minutes later, much to everyone’s relief. He then immediately started working on fitting it into the spider-shaped hole in the wall. 

The moment the big spider was in place, there was a strange sound again. Then, one by one, the different colored threads all retracted into the walls, leaving nothing but a near empty room. The only things still left was the big spider in the wall and the hooks where the spider’s daughters rested. 

Cheering again, Riku ran over to Iori and threw his arms around his neck. He was happy and relieved, both that they had succeeded in the task, managed to get rid of the poisonous web, and finally, that Iori, Nagi and Sougo were all okay. 

Riku pulled away slightly, but before doing so all the way, he leaned back in and left a peck on Iori’s cheek. “You were amazing.” He said, making Iori blush furiously. “Okay, okay, while you two are really cute, shouldn’t we check out the new path?” Tamaki asked teasingly, making Iori’s blush deepen and Riku develop one of his own. 

“Let’s go.” Iori said, trying to take the attention off of himself and Riku. Though no one missed the way he reached out and grabbed ahold of Riku’s hand. 

They started walking ahead, now exploring new parts of the tunnels. It didn’t take long until they reached a new room. When they rounded a corner that opened up into the new room, Riku yelped and grabbed onto Iori’s arm. “What is that?” He asked, sounding frightened. Iori chuckled. “Relax, it’s just a painted face.” He said. 

Riku walked forward into the room, followed by the other four, and sure enough, in front of him was a big hexagon with a monstrous painted face in the middle. “It looks like a lion.” Tamaki pointed out. As Riku looked closer, he realized that Tamaki had a point. The face looked angry, its big mouth open to reveal sharp teeth. 

Surrounding the face was something that definitely could be a mane, though it also looked a bit like Medusa’s snake hair, though none of the snakes had faces. “Of course.” Iori said. “On the map, this room was marked as the chamber of Sekhmet, the Goddess of medicine. She is depicted as a lionesse. That has to be a painting of her.” He said. 

“So, this is the next task? What do we need to do?” Riku asked. “Look around the room.” Iori told him, and so that is what they all did. Along the walls were shelves filled with bottles, all containing different liquids. Other than that, the only thing in the room was the big centerpiece. Iori stroked along the outer rim and found that there was a hole in each of the six corners of the hexagon. 

“There are tubes inside, tubes that lead to this… mixing bowl?” Iori suggested and pointed at a hollow sphere that connected all six tubes. “And look,” Riku said, pointing at the bottom of the bowl. “There’s a bigger tube here that leads down. It runs along the floor over there, to the closed door ahead!” He exclaimed. 

“I think I know what we need to do!” Iori said happily. “I bet all of these bottles contain chemicals, or something like that. If we mix the correct six ones into this mixing bowl, the potion should then flow through the pipes to the door, opening it.” He said. 

“So, it’s like a chemistry test this time?” Tamaki asked and Iori nodded. “It makes sense, since Sekhmet is the Goddess of medicine.” He said. “But how are we supposed to know which chemicals are the right ones?” Riku asked. 

“Look over here.” Nagi said suddenly, pointing at one of the walls. “There’s writing here. ‘Black Liquid Gon’, it says.” He said. Then Sougo noticed something similar on another wall. “There’s writing here too! ‘The taste of the Great Bitter Lake’!” He exclaimed. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “These must be clues to the chemicals! See if you can find any more!” He said, after which they all checked the walls. Soon, they had found four more lines of text. “Balm of the Nomad. Oil of the Egyptian Wedding Flower. Sweet sense of Mourning essence. Fire of Prometheus.” Riku read the remaining lines. 

Iori sighed. “Six clues for six chemicals. We’re going to have to do some research.” He said. “I might already know one.” Nagi said, gaining everyone’s attention. “I visited Egypt once, I was about ten at the time. I think we visited the Great Bitter Lake. It’s a saltwater lake!” He explained. 

“So…” Riku started. “The taste of the Great Bitter Lake is salt?” He asked. Iori and Nagi both nodded. “Rather, we need to find Sodium Chloride.” Iori corrected. “But yes, it’s salt. Now we have one, only five to go.” He said. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “We should probably leave now though. It’s really late, and we’re going to need to do quite a bit of research to complete this task anyway.” He said. The others all agreed, and so they left the tunnels yet again. 

When Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu reached the school the next day, they were immediately called out to by the headmaster. And so, the three friends made their way over to his office. They already had an inkling as to why he had called them, they assumed it had to do with the Watanabe Shield. 

When they reached the office, Sousuke quickly told them to come inside. They closed the door behind them as they went inside, then joined the headmaster by his desk. Sousuke looked up at them with a pleased expression, then started talking. “I contacted the school which currently possess the Watanabe Shield, and they have suggested a date for the game. This is your last chance to turn this down, so if you’re not serious, tell me now and I will turn them down.” He said. 

Gaku frowned, it seemed like his father did not believe in them, which stung a bit. Though Gaku supposed he should not be all that surprised, it was not something new that his father did not believe in him. “We’re sure. Tell them we accept.” He said. 

Sousuke smirked. “Good. The game will take place here at our school since we are the challengers, and it will be in three days. The game is played in pairs, so you need to chose two of you to participate, the third can be a spare player, should one of you not be able to participate.” He explained. 

Gaku’s eyes widened and he could see that Ryuu and Tenn were equally surprised. “In three days?! I thought we would have at least a week…” He said. Sousuke scoffed. “Are you backing out?” He asked, which irritated Gaku. “Of course not! Accept the offer.” He said determinedly. 

Sousuke nodded. “I will.” He said. “Go to the gym after school today, I think we have an old ping pong table you can take out and use to practice. Use these next three days wisely, do not bring shame onto our school” He added. 

Gaku rolled his eyes, but nodded in thanks. He then left the office, closely followed by his two friends. “Three days is a pretty short time. Are you sure we’ll be able to get enough practice? These are the people who has held onto the shield for years!” Ryuu said. 

“It will have to be enough.” Tenn answered, though it was obvious that he was not certain they could do this. “We don’t have any more time, after all.” He added. 

Gaku nodded, his eyes filled with determination. “Let’s go find that ping pong table at lunch, we need as much time for practice as we can get. Failure is not an option, we _are_ going to win that shield back. Otherwise, all we did to retrieve the gem was for nothing.” He declared. Tenn and Ryuu gave each other a look, then turned back to Gaku and nodded in agreement. In three days, they would win back the Watanabe Shield. 

At lunch, Sibuna was gathered in the student lounge, meaning to discuss the new task. At first, Riku had found it a bit hard to concentrate, seeing as his brother Tenn had set up a ping pong table and was now playing with Gaku and Ryuu. Lately, his brother had seemed a bit busy, and while Riku was glad that he didn’t try and come between him and Iori, he kind of missed talking with Tenn. 

Shaking his head, Riku looked away from his brother and his friends and instead turned his attention back to his own friends. “Okay, we haven’t really had time to do any research yet, but what do we know about the new task so far?” Iori asked, getting the discussion started. 

Tamaki raised his hand, looking eager to answer. “Oh, oh! I want to say it!” He said, and Iori indulged him by giving him a look that said to go on. “We know that we need to mix six different liquids together in the mixing bowl. One liquid in each of the six tubes. It looked like there were around fifty different bottles down there, if not more, so we also need to identify them once we figure out what we need. So far, we only know one, Sodium Chloride, or salt.” He explained proudly. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “That’s right. That was a good summary, Tamaki.” He complimented, which pleased Tamaki. Riku turned back to the others and continued. “Now we just have to figure out what the other clues mean. We already know ‘The taste of the Great Bitter Lake’, which leaves us with Black Liquid Gon, Balm of the Nomad, Oil of the Egyptian Wedding Flower, Sweet Scent of Mourning essence, and Fire of Prometheus.” 

Tamaki frowned. “This would be so much easier if we knew what liquids we had to choose from! Like, why couldn’t Watanabe Ritsu label all the bottles? Then we could have used the process of elimination to figure this out!” He complained. 

Luckily though, Tamaki’s complaints seemed to inspire Nagi, who got an idea. “I know! Why don’t we go back into the cellar, take samples of all the chemicals, bring them back here to the school, and try and identify them! That way we will both make it easier to figure out what we need, and make it super easy to find the correct bottles when we do the actual test.” He suggested. 

“That’s a brilliant idea!” Iori exclaimed, eyes wide in wonder. Tamaki nodded enthusiastically. “I can talk to Ban-chan! Ask if we can borrow the chemistry lab tomorrow afternoon!” He offered. Now that Tamaki had offered to talk to Ogami Banri, their chemistry teacher, all was settled. That night, they would sneak back into the tunnels and take samples, and tomorrow they would try to identify them in the chemistry lab. 

Tsumugi was really grateful that Akihiko had given her the afternoon off, otherwise she would have had a hard time finding time to do what she was planning to do. She had been meaning to wait until this weekend, but then something else had come up. So, since she did not want to wait too long, Tsumugi had decided to go this afternoon instead. 

What was she doing, you may ask? Tsumugi was currently in her car, driving through the countryside in the middle of nowhere. She was a little over an hour away from Yaotome Academy at the moment, and according to her GPS, she would reach her location in about another twenty minutes. 

Tsumugi kept driving and soon she had reached her destination. She stepped out of the car and gazed out over the traditional japanese mansion that stretched out ahead of her. The place was both massive and beautiful, impressive in a totally different way from the House of Anubis or Yaotome Academy. 

Tsumugi took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She had come this far, she couldn’t back out now. A part of her had hoped to see the one she was searching for outside, but that did not seem to be the case. She would have to walk up to the house and ring the bell to see if she could talk to Mr. Hibiki, the supposed owner of the house. 

Mr. Hibiki was the man who was supposed to be Vera Devenish’s old employer, and this mansion was where she had worked before she came to Anubis House. Tsumugi had been a bit uncertain whether to come here or not, but when she couldn’t think of any other way to progress in her little investigation, she thought she might as well try this place. 

And so, Tsumugi straightened her back and walked up to the front door, where she rang the bell. Soon, the door opened and an older man, probably in his seventies, stood in the opening. He had quite a tan, wrinkly skin, thin but curly white hair, and a pair of bright green eyes framed by a thick pair of black glasses. He wore a white shirt and brown pants that were held up by a pair of suspenders. The whole look was completed by a pair of fluffy, blue slippers. 

The man raised an eyebrow in question, maybe he didn’t get many visitors out here, at least not from strange women he had never met before. Tsumugi smiled politely up at the man and extended her hand. “Hello, my name is Takanashi Tsumugi. I’m looking for a Mr. Hibiki, is he around?” She asked. 

“Mr. Hibiki?” The man asked, looking shocked. Tsumugi nodded enthusiastically. What happened next came as a shock to her. The man in the doorway looked at Tsumugi as if she was out of her mind before he opened his mouth. “I’m sorry dear, but you are a bit late. You see, Mr. Hibiki, the previous owner of this mansion, passed away twenty years ago.” He said. 

Tsumugi’s eyes widened. “Twenty years ago? That’s impossible! I have an… acquaintance who claims to have worked here under Mr. Hibiki until just a few months ago. She supposedly started here around three years ago.” Tsumugi tried to explain. 

The man looked even more confused. “That is simply not possible. Hibiki was my older cousin, me and my wife moved in here after his death. The four people who worked here at the time got to keep their jobs, but we never employed anyone new since we moved in. Also, the last of the workers quit six years ago.” He explained. 

Tsumugi sighed. “So, there is no way my acquaintance worked here three years ago under Mr. Hibiki?” She asked. The man nodded, confirming that Vera’s story simply didn’t add up. This whole issue was getting more and more suspicious the more Tsumugi kept digging. 

With a smile, Tsumugi excused herself and left the property. She went back to her car and then started driving away from the mansion and back to Yaotome Academy. What she was going to do now, she had no idea. 

Tsumugi knew was that she needed to keep an eye on Vera extra closely from now on. And also, it had gotten to the point where she should probably consult someone about what she had discovered. She needed someone else to agree that Vera Devenish was not to be trusted. 

Tsukumo had come to a realization. He had realized that a few days had passed since the last time he checked on the tunnels, meaning the students could have made new progress while he was preoccupied. Now, Tsukumo was not about to give up on the final chapter of the Book of Isis, which he was making slow progress with. However, he had decided to take a break and check if any progress had been made. 

When he announced this to Vera, she had seemed concerned. Tsukumo couldn’t understand her issues with his decision at first, but then she reminded him not to interfere with the tunnels. She didn’t mind if he just went to observe how the students had come along, but she clearly did not want him to touch anything down there. She was afraid he would give them away, thus giving the children the advantage. 

Tsukumo was quick to reassure her. He could understand her reasoning and knew that it was advantageous to them if the children didn’t realize that he had one of their amulets. However, he couldn’t fully get rid of the itch that told him to just do it all himself. He didn’t tell Vera this, but he kept her warnings in mind. He would try not to interfere, but if he could not help himself, he vowed to do it in such a way that the students would be none the wiser. 

And so, Tsukumo was now making his way through the tunnels. Soon, he reached the room that had been covered in poisonous strings the last time he was down there. He smiled to himself, thinking that there was new sights to see, and then he advanced into the next room. 

What Tsukumo found next awed him. He immediately recognized the Goddess Sekhmet, and upon spotting the tubes, the mixing bowl and the chemicals, the task became clear to him. This was a chemistry test, a test that was right up his alley. 

The itch returned. He wanted to solve this test so badly, he wanted to solve it before the kids. He recalled Vera’s warnings, but surely she would understand. Mixing chemicals was no child’s play. It took years of experience to do so safely. It would be foolish to leave something like this to mere children. Besides, Tsukumo was certain that even if he did solve it, he could make those stupid kids believe they had been the ones to do so. 

Tsukumo decided he could at least solve it to himself, if only to prove to himself that he could do it before the students. And so, he started looking around the room. It didn’t take him long to find the writing on the walls. “The taste of the Great Bitter Lake…” He read, then realization dawned on him. “Sodium Chloride… Ha! This is child’s play!” He exclaimed. 

Tsukumo turned around and saw another line of text. “Oil of the Egyptian Wedding Flower…” He read. “Myrtle! It has to be…!” He declared before he started rummaging through the bottles until he found what he was looking for. He held up the brown bottle and sniffed it, quickly identifying the liquid inside. “Myrtle…” He conformed. 

Tsukumo continued like this, reading the lines and checking the bottles. Some he were sure of, others he needed to test, mostly to be certain he had the right things. He knew he could solve the task, and that he could solve it soon. However, now was not the time. 

As Tsukumo kept rummaging around the room, he was completely ignorant of the presence behind him. He couldn’t see her, but in the corner of the room floated Senkhara, the same spirit that had put a curse on Riku and his friends, staring at Tsukumo as he advanced on her price. And she did not look happy. 

That night, after Riku returned to his room with Nagi in tow, he collapsed on his bed in mere seconds. Sibuna had needed to wait longer than they would have liked to enter the tunnels, and collecting so many samples had been way more time consuming than they thought. So, when they were finally done, they were all extremely tired. 

Riku had fallen asleep within minutes and immediately found himself somewhere else. He was sat on the floor of the Watanabe Library, it was dark out, but inside there were candles that lit up the room. Before him lay numerous books, all on the same subject. The Forgotten Ruler. 

He was vaguely aware that this was a dream, which was a bit odd. He had had dreams before where he realized he was not awake, but it usually never happen from the beginning of the dream. Soon, like so many other times, he felt a cold presence behind him. His heart sped up and he turned around to face the spirit. 

Riku gulped down his nerves, then he steeled himself and met her gaze. “I know your name. You are Senkhara, The Forgotten Ruler.” He said. Riku didn’t know if this would make a difference, but it felt like he gained some sort of control with this tiny piece of knowledge. 

Senkhara frowned. “Forgotten only by history. My enemies would never forget me. Not even in death.” She said, stepping closer to Riku, looking menacing as always. “Watch the timepiece, Chosen One. I cannot stress this enough. The time drains away from you.” She then added. 

Riku recognized her usual warning, but that did not change the fact that he still had no idea what she meant by it. Believe it or not, repeating a single sentence time and time again does not always make its meaning clearer. He was about to answer Senkhara, but she wouldn’t let him. 

Senkhara took a third and final step towards him, nearly closing the distance between them. She grabbed ahold of Riku’s arm, right where the mark she had left was. Riku winced as she squeezed tighter. She then leaned in close, her face now mere inches away from Riku’s own, her cold seeping into his bones, making him feel weak. Then she spoke. 

“The Raven is watching. He must not win.” 

And with that, Riku woke up. He sat up quickly, panting as he tried to calm down. Across the room, Nagi was still asleep, and when Riku checked the time, it read 03:09. It was too early to get up, however, Riku had a feeling he might not get much more sleep after that dream. He recalled Senkhara’s words and felt a shiver travel down his spine. “The Raven… Could it be… Tsukumo?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have a new task, a chemistry task! And this time, Tsukumo is right on their heals... To see what happens next, come back on Saturday, when I will return with chapter 30! While I haven't finished writing this story yet, I believe we are about halfway through now! Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it. And thank you if you decide to leave kudos or comments! <3


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna keep working on the chemistry task, but they aren't the only ones... Who will be the first ones to solve it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again with the next chapter, I hope you like it! If you have any questions or just want to chat, you can find me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Riku had been pleasantly surprised when he had managed to fall back asleep after that dream he had. Senkhara had seemed angry, as always, but that was not all. Something troubled her. She had been impatient before, but this time it seemed she had a reason for it. Riku had a pretty good idea what it might be. He thought that she had discovered that Tsukumo could enter the tunnels.

Either way, Riku had been woken up as usual by his alarm and had decided that he needed to consult Iori about his dream as soon as possible. He found him easily and pulled him off to the side so that they could talk undisturbed. “I had another dream tonight.” Riku said seriously. 

Iori frowned, he knew that whenever Riku told him about his dreams, they were dreams that held some sort of meaning, sometimes good, sometimes bad. “What kind of dream?” He asked in concern. 

“I saw the spirit, I confirmed that she is in fact Senkhara. When I confronted her about it she claimed that her enemies would never forget her, not even in death.” Riku said and Iori nodded. “So, the ghost who is cursing us really is The Forgotten Ruler… If only we could figure out her motives now. Like, why does she want the Mask of Anubis? What is she going to do with it?” He asked. 

Riku shook his head. “Yeah, that’s an issue… We don’t even really know what the mask does, other than that it can somehow produce these so called ‘tears of gold’. Maybe they are what she is after?” He asked. 

“Maybe…” Iori agreed, though he did not sound very convinced. “But if we are right, and the tears of gold are an ingredient in the elixir, why would she need them? She’s already dead.” He pointed out. 

Riku sighed. “I don’t know… Maybe they can be used in other ways? Or maybe the mask does more than just create tears of gold? There’s just so much surrounding this whole thing that we don’t know! It’s driving me mad!” He exclaimed. 

Iori nodded solemnly. “I know…” He said. Then he looked over at Riku again, getting back to the topic of his dream. “Anyway, was that all that happened in your dream? Or did she say anything more?” He asked. 

Riku sighed. “She told me to hurry up again, watch the timepiece and all that… Then she said something new. She said that the raven is watching.” Riku explained, which made Iori frowned in confusion. “And what’s more is that when she said it, she didn’t just sound angry as usual, she sounded concerned. Iori, I think Senkhara figured out that Tsukumo has an amulet. I think she is worried that he is making progress towards the mask as well.” Riku explained further. 

“That’s troubling. Do you think Tsukumo has been down in the tunnels again since the last time we saw him?” Iori asked, and as if on cue, Tsukumo came down the stairs, carrying a big box filled with various chemicals. It didn’t seem like he had seen Iori and Riku, but they kept watching as he brought the box with him into the cellar. 

Riku turned to Iori with worry written all over his face. “What is he going to do with all those chemicals? Do you think he’s trying to solve the latest task?” Riku asked frantically. Iori shook his head, but his concern was clear either way. “We don’t know that for sure, though we can’t just dismiss it. Maybe he just decided to start brewing elixir again?” He suggested. 

Riku frowned. “I can’t believe Tsukumo brewing elixir is the better option… We need to tell the others and hurry up with the next task. If Tsukumo is working on it, then we have to beat him to it.” Riku said. Iori nodded in agreement and then they went to tell the others about what they had seen. 

Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu used every moment they could spare to practice ping pong. They came to school early, met up during breaks, and stayed behind as late as they could. They even carried a ball and a paddle with them at all times, so that they could practice alone or back at the house. All in all, their days ahead of them were filled with the sport. 

Gaku was really frustrated. Not by the practice he had to put in, but by the fact that both Tenn and Ryuu were better than him at it. That being said, he wasn’t bad, just not quite as good. Only two people could participate, and as it looked now, Tenn and Ryuu would be the best option. 

It wasn’t that Gaku didn’t want to let both of his friends play, it was that he badly wanted to be the one who got back the shield, and in order to do that he had to play. Still, he was willing to give up his pride to ensure their victory. Although, he still practiced just as hard. A part of him hoped that he would magically improve enough so that they might choose him for the game, and another part just wanted to be prepared should something happen to Tenn or Ryuu. 

His two friends had most likely picked up on his grumpy mood by now, but had chosen to say nothing of it. Gaku was secretly grateful for that. There were just two days to go until the tournament and all three had chosen to focus solely on that. 

“Is that all?” Sougo asked cheerfully as he brought out what he believed to be the final sample from the tunnels. Tamaki laughed, but it wasn’t out of glee, it was more dejected. “Is that all? There has to be like a hundred different samples!” He cried out in desperation. 

Iori rolled his eyes. “It’s actually closer to fifty than a hundred. To be exact, there are 68 different chemicals.” He said. Tamaki groaned and face planted the desk in front of him. “It’s still a lot! This is going to take forever!” He complained. 

“Well yeah, it is probably going to take all afternoon, but it will be worth it. This will make it so much easier to figure out which six chemicals we need, as well as identifying them in the tunnels when we do the task.” Riku pointed out. 

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!” Nagi exclaimed happily, and that is what they did. However, Nagi’s enthusiasm only lasted so long, and after the first hour had passed, they were all quite tired of it. Another hour went by, and by then they had managed to identify half of the chemicals. It was a slow process, but they knew it was going to be helpful. 

Once they had identified their 51st chemical, Iori seemed to recall something. “Wait, this is Ferula Oil.” He said. Sougo, who had identified it using the cinnamon test (Don’t ask him what it is, he will not shut up about it), nodded. “Yes, it’s made from the ferula plant, also known as giant fennel. Why?” He asked. 

Iori smiled and held up the vial so that they all could see. “I think this is one of the six chemicals, ‘Fire of Prometheus’.” He declared. Riku’s eyes widened. “Are you sure? Why do you think that?” He asked intrigued. Iori smirked and got ready to explained. “In the original Greek myth, Prometheus was a titan who created humans out of clay and then gave them fire against the will of the Gods. To hide the fire from the Gods, Prometheus hid it inside the stem of a ferula plant as he transported it.” 

“Then it really could be the chemical we need!” Tamaki exclaimed, just as excited as the rest of them. Iori nodded. “Yes. Two down, four to go.” He said. “And we still have 17 samples left to identify.” Sougo reminded, causing both Tamaki, Nagi and Riku to groan. Still, they got back to work so that they could finish what they were doing before the school locked up for the night. 

Vera was annoyed. The reason for this? Tsukumo Ryou. Tsukumo had avoided her like the plague ever since their last conversation. Now, there had been times before where she hadn’t talked to Tsukumo for a day or two, but he had never been so obviously avoiding her before. It was as if he was hiding something and Vera wanted to know what it was. 

And so, without announcing her presence, Vera entered the cellar. She knew that was where Tsukumo had holed himself up. When she came down the stairs she found Tsukumo leaning over a table, his back to her. Carefully, Vera walked up to him to see what he was doing. When she saw the many bottles of chemicals and Tsukumo’s notes, she immediately understood what was going on. 

“What is this?” She asked, making her presence known. Tsukumo turned around abruptly, looking like a deer who had been caught in the headlights. Vera stared him down, making sure that he knew that she had figured out what he was doing and could make no excuses. Tsukumo sighed. “I’m sorry my dear, but this test was practically made for me!” He declared. 

Vera was not impressed. She simply raised an eyebrow and gave the caretaker her best disappointed look. “Please reconsider! You will blow our cover! As long as they don’t know that we can follow them, we have got the advantage. Please, don’t ruin that.” She said, trying to convince Tsukumo to give up on the task. 

Tsukumo sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “I know, but you don’t understand. This test involves chemicals, some of which could be dangerous! It would take years of experience to safely be able to solve this task! If those children mess it up, they could blow up this entire house!” He argued. 

Vera, however, did not look convinced. “That is a risk that we are going to have to take. For now, we need to lay low, otherwise the children might win! I urge you to be patient and wait until they clear it by themselves. Please?” She asked, stroking up and down his arm with her hand while also looking pleadingly at him. 

Tsukumo gulped, and was that a blush on his cheeks? He soon cleared his throat and averted his gaze. “Don’t worry my dear, I will make sure the children don’t find out about the amulet or that I can follow them. You have my word.” He said. 

Vera smiled, scared that if she pushed the issue further, Tsukumo might push her away. She was aware of the fact that he had not promised to give up on the task, simply to make sure the children didn’t find them out. As Vera gave up on arguing and exited the cellar, she frowned. Hopefully, Tsukumo would come to his senses and realize that he was putting their entire plan at risk. 

It was early in the morning and everyone were gathered at the breakfast table. Soon, Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu left, presumably to practice some more ping pong, seeing as the tournament was tomorrow. Then Mitsuki left to help Vera clean up in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Yamato had fallen back asleep at the table, which left the five members of Sibuna an opportunity to talk. 

“So, how are we coming along with the clues?” Tamaki asked. Iori sighed. “I’d like to say it’s going good, we’ve managed to figure out five out of the six chemicals after all. Black liquid gon is tar, the taste of the Great Bitter Lake is sodium chloride, balm of the nomad is olive oil, oil of the Egyptian wedding flower is myrtle, and fire of Prometheus is ferula. However, I’m still stuck on the sweet scent of mourning essence, I just can’t seem to figure it out.” He said. 

The others nodded understandingly. Riku picked up a cinnamon bun that Vera had put out ad started nibbling on it as they kept discussing it. Tamaki groaned. “How are we supposed to know what the ancient Egyptians smelled in the morning?” He asked. 

Sougo chuckled and corrected him then. “Tamaki-kun, it’s mourning as in grieving, not as in early in the day.” Tamaki’s mouth shaped itself into an O-shape as he realized his mistake, then he shook his head. “It still doesn’t make any sense!” He declared. 

Then Riku realized something, when Tamaki mentioned smells in the morning, Riku unconsciously started sniffing around. He frowned, realizing that he recognized one of the smells in particular. Riku looked down at his half-eaten cinnamon bun, then his eyes widened in realization and he thrust the baked good in front of Iori’s face. 

Iori startled and gave Riku a questioning look. Thinking his boyfriend was offering him a piece of his cinnamon bun, Iori started to decline. “It’s fine, I don’t really want-” He started, but was interrupted by Riku. “No! Smell it! Doesn’t it smell familiar to you?” He asked. 

Iori frowned at Riku. “Cinnamon?” He asked, but Riku merely shook his head. “No! Or, yes I suppose, but that’s not what I meant! It smells like one of the vials from the tunnels.” Riku said. Iori nodded. “Yes, there was one that was cinnamon, what is your point?” He asked. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “Didn’t the egyptians use lots of spices when embalming? You know, before they mummified their dead ones?” He asked. Iori’s eyes widened as he realized what Riku meant. “Do you want me to look up if cinnamon was one of those spices?” He asked and Riku nodded. 

Iori picked up his phone and started typing, then he started reading what he found. “Cinnamon, a spice that comes from the bark of the cinnamomum tree. In the ancient worlds, it was widely used in funerals and in the process of mummification.” He read. 

Riku looked at Iori triumphantly, then held up his piece of cinnamon bun and took a bite. “The sweet scent of mourning, and morning, essence.” He said, making the others laugh. “That means we have all six chemicals now!” Tamaki exclaimed. Iori and Riku nodded. “That means we can do the chemistry test when we get back from school this afternoon.” Iori said. 

Now that the students were all in school, Tsukumo took his chance. He had spent all day yesterday working with the different chemicals to ensure that it was all safe, and now he was certain he could do the test. He had a feeling the children were close as well, which was why he couldn’t wait another day for this. 

Tsukumo had managed to sneak down into the cellar without alerting Vera. He did not want to make her any more upset after all. And now he was making his way through the tunnels and to the chamber of Sekhmet. 

Immediately, Tsukumo started by locating the correct bottles and then bringing them over to the room’s centerpiece. Once he had found all the correct ones, it was time to start with the actual task. 

Tsukumo grabbed the first bottle and poured it through the first tube, he then did the same with all the rest, repeating the different liquids as he poured them into the tubes. “Tar… Sodium chloride… Olive oil… Myrtle… Cinnamon… Ferula…” 

Once all of the liquids were mixed, Tsukumo watched them all run through the tubes only to combine in the big mixing bowl. Once the concoction was all mixed, the tube at the bottom opened up, allowing the mixture to flow through it and towards the door. Tsukumo watched in anticipation at what was happening, and soon there was what sounded like a tiny explosion, followed by the door leading ahead falling down onto the path ahead. 

Tsukumo smiled triumphantly, he had done it! He had solved one of the tasks by himself! A surge of pride flowed through him and pushed him to keep moving ahead. Being the first person to walk through a portion of these tunnels in almost a hundred years felt amazing. 

Soon, he reached a new room. It was a circular room, with barren walls and a high, domed ceiling. Unlike the last room, there was no writing or drawings on the walls, nor were there any objects there. The only thing in the room was at the very center, where a long metal pole connected the floor to the ceiling, kind of like a column. Fastened to the pole were four horns, ancient musical instruments. On top of that, there was also a hook. 

Maybe Tsukumo was in awe at the sight, or maybe he was still experiencing the high from having passed the previous test, but no matter the reason, he didn’t even stop to consider the possible dangers. He was too eager to keep moving now that he had experienced what it was like to clear these tasks once already. So, he walked up to the contraption, put his mouth to one of the horns and blew. 

The sound of the horn echoed throughout the room, and first Tsukumo thought that nothing was happening. Then there was a thundering sound that made Tsukumo crouch down and cover his ears. Not only that, but the sound was so loud that it made the entire room shake and cracks started appearing along the ceiling. 

In a panic, Tsukumo started moving back the way he came, and only calmed down once the sound had stopped. Then, he took another look at the new room he had discovered. “I see… You must be supposed to play a specific melody. If you play the wrong one, that sound plays, causing the vibrations to damage the dome above. Play the melody wrong enough times and the ceiling collapses on you. From the damage, I’d guess you could be wrong another three or four times before the collapse.” He speculated. 

Now that it was clear that he would not be doing any good by staying in the tunnels, Tsukumo decided to leave. There had to be some way of finding the right melody. Before he left, he lifted the door to the new portion of the tunnel and placed it back where it had originally been, hoping that was enough to cover his tracks. As he then left, he didn’t notice that there was someone who had been watching him the whole time. 

Senkhara stood in the chamber of Sekhmet, glaring at Tsukumo as he left. She was very angry, she could have made the tunnels collapse by herself. Instead, she kept her eyes on Tsukumo’s retreating back and cursed. “No! The Chosen One shall pay for his failure!” 

The lunch break was coming to an end and Riku, Iori and Tamaki were walking back to their classroom when it happened. Suddenly, Riku started feeling a burning sensation in his arm, right where the mark of Anubis was. He reached up to touch it, but the moment he made contact with it, extreme pain spread throughout his entire arm and he collapsed onto the ground, breathing hard. 

Iori and Tamaki turned around, both clearly concerned about what had happened. Riku had managed to crawl over to the wall which he now rested against. He was vaguely aware that people were staring and whispering, and he was kind of glad that his two friends blocked most of them off. 

Iori must have understood some of what was going on, because he didn’t ask Riku what was happening. Instead he just eyed Riku’s arm and helped him to his feet, telling him that they should go to the infirmary. And so, that is what the three friends did. 

Riku, who still felt a bit out of it, didn’t register that they entered the currently empty infirmary. Not only was his arm still hurting really bad, but as they moved, Riku had also started hearing voices. Some seemed to be cursing him, while others told him to hurry. 

It took almost twenty minutes, but finally the pain started ebbing away, the voices quieted down, and Riku started to relax. Riku dried his tears that he hadn't even realized had started to fall from his eyes, and then leaned his head against Iori's shoulder in support. He then looked over at both Iori and Tamaki, who had stayed with him all the time. They looked like they wanted an explanation, but Riku was not sure he could provide them with one. 

“What just happened?” Tamaki asked, finally breaking the silence. Riku sighed. “I’m not sure, my mark started hurting like crazy and I heard these voices… I’m not sure what is wrong, but something really, really bad must have happened.” He said, worry written all over him. 

“You guys didn’t feel anything, did you?” He then asked. Riku had assumed it was only him since both Tamaki and Iori had been able to help him out. But maybe they had been in pain as well, and Riku just had not noticed. 

Iori smiled bitterly and shook his head. “No, I didn’t feel a thing. I think it was just you.” He said. Tamaki nodded. “Same here.” He said. Riku relaxed and nodded, glad that at least his friends had been safe. He then looked up and met their eyes. “I think we need to finish the task as soon as we can, advancing towards the mask has been the only thing that calms Senkhara down somewhat.” He said. 

Iori and Tamaki nodded. “We’ll go now then! Let’s skip the rest of the school day, we can just say you got sick!” He said. Riku was a bit hesitant. “But what about Sougo-san and Nagi?” He asked. 

“We’ll have to tell them later. If Senkhara wants us to proceed so badly that she’s hurting you, we can’t afford to wait. They will understand if we go without them this one time.” Iori said. Riku would have liked to bring them all, if only to reassure himself that Senkhara had not gotten to anyone other than him. Still, he couldn’t argue that they needed to finish this task as soon as possible, seeing as something had obviously upset the the spirit. He just hoped that whatever it was, it was something they could fix. 

Iori, Riku and Tamaki reached the tunnels without any further complications. There was a slight pain still pulsing throughout Riku’s arm, but it wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t try to ignore it. They also didn’t run into anyone on their way, which made things a whole lot easier. 

When they reached the chamber of Sekhmet, where the chemistry test was, they wasted no time in getting started. Iori went to grab the tar and the salt, Tamaki went for the olive oil and the myrtle, while Riku went to find the bottles with ferula and cinnamon. Then they gathered by the centerpiece and poured the liquids in one by one until they were all mixing together in the big, sphere-like mixing bowl. 

The three friends watched together as the now combined mixture flowed through the final tube towards the door. They held their breath, waiting for something to happen. A light, a sound, an explosion, the door opening by itself like some of the others had. But when over a minute had passed and nothing happened, they all eyed each other suspiciously. 

“Did we get it wrong?” Tamaki asked. Iori frowned. “I don’t know… Usually, something happens either way. If we do it wrong, something bad happens, if we do it right, something good happens. It’s never been nothing before…” He said. 

Carefully, Riku walked up to the door and tried to open it. He wasn’t sure what to think when the big and heave door toppled over easily when Riku gave it a push. The door fell and hit the ground with a loud BANG, startling Iori and Tamaki. 

“Oh, so I guess it did work then.” Tamaki said, shrugging all the while. “That was a bit anticlimactic.” He then added. Iori nodded in agreement. “Yeah, usually there’s more… Well, just _more_ going on.” He said. 

Riku frowned, he could feel that something was wrong, something about the way the door opened was not natural, not how it was supposed to happen. “Guys, I think I might know why Senkhara is angry with us. Or rather, angry with me.” He said. 

Iori gave him an odd look, as if he didn’t understand what he meant. Riku decided he would just have to clarify. “She warned me, in that dream I had! She said the raven was watching, and I did nothing about it! Then we saw Tsukumo with those chemicals, and we wrote it off as him brewing elixir again. I think he might have solved the task before us and put the door back in place to cover his tracks.” He explained. 

Realization seemed to hit both Iori and Tamaki then. “So, the reason why nothing happened when we solved the task is because someone else had already solved it? And that’s also when Senkhara hurt you, because we weren’t the ones who solved the task?” Tamaki asked and Riku nodded. 

“What are we supposed to do about that now though?” Iori asked. He looked a bit angry, probably that Senkhara had just hurt Riku so badly just because they were a little bit late with one task. 

Riku shook his head. “I don’t know if we can do anything other than what we already set out to do. We need to come up with a way to get that amulet off of Tsukumo. And also, we need to make sure that we solve this next task, and all the ones after that before Tsukumo, or anybody else does.” He answered. 

Iori nodded, though he hated that there wasn’t more he could do to help Riku. “Well then, let’s go check out what the next task is. The sooner we can get started, the better. Especially if Tsukumo has a head start.” He said. Riku and Tamaki agreed, and then they kept walking forward. 

Soon they reached the domed room with the four horns. “This has to be the next task.” Riku said. After looking around the room, Tamaki turned to Iori and Riku, looking more confused than ever. “Okay, I get that the task has something to do with those horns, but there are literally no indication of what to do with them. This room is completely empty apart from the horns!” He complained. 

Iori nodded. “True… Usually there’s some sort of clue, a picture or a line of text for example, as to what we need to do. But here there is nothing.” He observed. 

Riku sighed. “Maybe we should leave. We could always try asking the dollhouse.” He suggested. Iori looked like he wanted to argue, now that Senkhara was threatening them, he wanted to leave the tunnels with some idea of what to do next. However, it didn’t seem like they had much of a choice. So, they left. 

Riku, Iori and Tamaki didn’t bother to return to school after that. There was only one class left, and even if they started walking now, they would still be late to that class. It just didn’t seem worth it. Instead, they had chosen to gather in Riku’s room, doing some homework while trying to consult their magical dollhouse. 

Time passed, and soon Nagi and Sougo returned. It was when Iori, Tamaki and Riku were in the middle of explaining everything that had happened to the two second years that there was a knock on the door. When it opened, Vera stood in the opening, a concerned expression on her face. 

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but Riku dear, do you know where your brother is?” Vera asked. Riku frowned in confusion. “Tenn-nii? I think he’s still at school. Lately, he, Tsunashi-san and Yaotome-san has been staying late to practice ping pong.” He answered. 

Vera nodded. “Then do you think you could go come with me to get him? We just received a phone call from the hospital. It seems your grandmother collapsed and was taken to the ER. I can drive the two of you there if you’d like.” She explained. 

Riku’s eyes widened and he stood up. “Gran collapsed? What happened?” He asked in worry. Vera shook her head. “I don’t know. I just heard that she was found unconscious in her apartment and was then taken to the hospital. They asked for you and your brother to come over.” She said. 

Riku nodded, then started stuffing things into a bag, his phone, headphones, a charger, his wallet, a book, etc. He didn’t know how serious this thing with his Gran was, but he wanted to be prepared. Before he could leave, Iori grabbed ahold of his hand and stopped him. “Do you need me to come with you?” He asked in concern. 

Before Riku could answer, Vera took care of it for him. “I’m afraid only family is allowed to see her right now, so you better stay here. Come on, Riku. Let’s hurry and find your brother.” She said. Riku nodded, forced a smile on his face for Iori, and then left with the housemother to go see his Gran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all... I'm so sorry Gran! WHat happened to her? You'll have to wait until Wednesday to find out, that's when I'll be back with the next chapter! Until then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you for reading! And extra big thank yous if you decide to leave kudos or comments! <3


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku and Tenn visit their Gran in the hospital. On the way back, Riku gets a different visitor... And it's time for the ping pong tournament!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell everyone! I'm back with a new chapter that I hope you will enjoy! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can contact me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

When they arrived, Riku and Tenn left Vera in the car. She said she would wait at the parking lot for a couple of minutes and that the twins could call her when they knew how long they would be staying. If they would only stay a while, she would wait for them there, but if they planned to stay longer she would return to the house. If it was the latter, they could call her about half an hour before they wanted to go back, as that was approximately how long it took to drive between the school and the hospital.

It only took a couple of minutes for Riku and Tenn to find the ward where their grandmother was being kept. Because of Riku’s condition, both boys had quite a lot of experience with hospitals, so it was easy to get around. Riku clung onto his brother’s hand tightly, at first it had felt a bit silly, but when Tenn squeezed his hand back, Riku relaxed into it. Memories of when they were children and Tenn had to take care of Riku resurfaced, though this time, they both had to be there for each other. 

Finally, Riku and Tenn found the room with the name ‘Nanase Emi’ on the door. They entered and were happy to see that their grandmother was awake now. They both rushed over to her side calling out “Gran!” in unison. Emi smiled and patted the side of her bed, gesturing for them to join her. She looked a bit pale and had bags under her eyes, otherwise Emi looked surprisingly fine for someone who just collapsed. 

“How are you feeling, Gran?” Riku asked. “What happened? We were so worried!” Tenn added. Emi rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m fine! These people are just over exaggerating is all!” She said, pointing her chin at a nurse who was stood in the corner of the room, filling out some sort of form. 

“Gran, you fainted. That’s usually not nothing.” Riku said worriedly. That was when the nurse decided to join the conversation. “Well, it seems to us as if it really was nothing serious. All the tests we’ve run so far have come back with great results, we can’t see anything that’s wrong with her. And since she seems to be feeling a lot better already, we think it might just have been stress or overwork.” The nurse explained. 

“Still, just to be safe we are going to keep her here for a night or two. If she starts getting worse, we’ll let you know. Otherwise, she can go back home the day after tomorrow.” The nurse then added. Riku and Tenn both smiled graciously and thanked her. Then they called Vera, telling her that there was no immediate danger, but that they would like to stay and talk with their Gran for a while. Vera understood and told them to call her when they wanted to go back. 

Riku and Tenn spent the next few hours at the hospital. They talked with their Gran, telling her about the last few weeks. She was extra happy to hear about Tenn’s coming ping pong tournament and about how Riku and Iori’s relationship had progressed. Though when she mentioned the latter, Tenn became strangely quiet. Riku assumed he didn’t want to appear so disapproving in front of Emi. 

The twins even ate dinner at the hospital with her, even if the food there was a lot worse than whatever Vera was cooking up at Anubis House. After they had eaten, they had called the housemother, who promptly told them she would leave as soon as she was done with the dishes. She expected that she would arrive at the hospital in about 45 minutes. 

When Vera arrived, Riku and Tenn said goodbye to their grandmother, told her to take care of herself and call if she needed anything. They also talked to the same nurse who had talked to them earlier. They assured the boys that they would keep a close eye on Emi and alert them if anything changed in her condition. Then Riku and Tenn left. 

The ride back was mostly silent. Vera asked them a bit about how it had gone when they first entered the car, but after that none of them talked. There was a comfortable silence all the way to the school. That was when Vera asked if it was okay if she dropped them off there, seeing as she had an errand to run before going back to the house. Riku and Tenn nodded and got out of the car. 

Once Vera had driven off, Tenn turned to Riku with an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry, is it okay if you walk back on your own? I saw the lights were still on in the school and I’m guessing it’s Gaku and Ryuu. Gaku were given the keys from his father earlier today so that we could stay and practice as long as we wanted since the tournament is tomorrow.” He said. 

Riku smiled and grabbed his brother’s hand. “Of course it’s fine, you go ahead. It’s not that far to the house, and I can always call if something happens. Have fun.” He said. Tenn smiled appreciatively and nodded. “Thanks. Be careful going back.” He said and squeezed Riku’s hand before letting go and walking off. 

Riku sighed and started walking back towards the house. It was quite late and already pretty dark out. Riku didn’t necessarily mind the dark, but it was always a bit unnerving to be out in the dark by yourself. Besides, after only two minutes of walking, Riku had a legitimate reason to be frightened. 

When Riku rounded a corner, he found himself face to face with the spirit of Senkhara, The Forgotten Ruler. And she did not look happy. Not that Riku had ever seen her happy, but now she looked worse than usual. “Other pretenders are after the mask and you visit the sickhouse? Do you mock me, child?” She asked angrily. 

Riku stared at her. He knew that he should be afraid of her, but something had happened this day. Maybe it was the stress of all that needed to be done. And now that his Gran was feeling under the weather, it wasn’t exactly improving his mood either. He just felt tired and dejected, and at the moment, a see-through lady who died centuries ago no longer seemed all that frightening. 

“Please, I can’t do this anymore!” Riku pleaded, perhaps against his better judgement. He just did not want to be reminded of everything she and others were expecting of him right now. Senkhara frowned, clearly displeased. “But you must!” She exclaimed. 

Now, instead of just feeling dejected, Riku felt irritated. “I won’t!” He declared. Senkhara looked shocked at such an outburst, but she also didn’t say anything, so Riku continued. “Do you hear me? Because you are a ghost! You have no power over me, because you don’t even exist! Now leave me and my friends alone!” He yelled. 

However, that seemed to snap Senkhara out of her stupor. Her expression turned furious and she reached for and grabbed ahold of Riku’s wrist, squeezing it so hard it felt like she might break it. “You will regret those words, Chosen One!” She exclaimed, and for the first time that night, Riku was truly afraid of her. 

Senkhara closed her eyes and started talking again. “In the name of Meretseger, Goddess of punishment and mercy, I punish you, Nanase Riku! Your punishment will be to punish!” She declared and then she vanished. 

After the run in with Senkhara, Riku walked back to the house almost as if in a trance. He barely remembered anything. And as soon as he got to the house, he made his way upstairs, got into his bed, and fell asleep. He knew he must have talked to some people, but he couldn’t for the life of him remember what he said or who they were. 

When Riku woke up the next morning, it was with a pounding headache. For a moment, he thought his meeting with Senkhara was nothing but a bad dream. As a matter of fact, he was convinced of this. He tried to discard all thoughts of her and instead dragged himself out of bed and got changed before heading downstairs to have some breakfast. 

Everyone were gathered at the table by the time he came down. At first, they all sat in silence until someone finally worked up the courage to ask the twins about their grandmother. Riku gave Tenn a look that told him that he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. Tenn understood, and immediately started telling the others about it while Riku kept picking at his food. Yay for twin telepathy! 

Once they had all been assured that there didn’t seem to be anything seriously wrong with Emi, the conversation quickly shifted onto today’s event. The ping pong tournament. It was supposed to happen that afternoon, after all the day’s classes had come to an end. Everyone in Anubis House had promised to come and watch and cheer for Ryuu, Tenn and Gaku. 

The excitement was infectious, and soon, Riku started to feel his mood improve. This further convinced him that last night’s visit had been nothin but a dream, or perhaps some sort of delirium called forth by the stress of the quest and his Gran. Riku decided to dismiss it for now. 

Riku then turned to Iori, who had cast worried glances on him all morning. Riku wasn’t entirely sure, but he thought he remembered not talking to Iori after his return yesterday. Which meant they hadn’t talked since before he left to see his Gran. Of course Iori must be worried about him, especially since he had been so down and quiet all morning. 

Riku gave Iori a smiled and reached for his hand. Iori visibly relaxed as they made contact, which forced a smile onto Riku’s face. He hated to make his boyfriend worry, and whenever he saw the tension roll of him, only to be replaced by that soft, genuine smile that Iori reserved only for those he really cared about, Riku’s heart melted. 

Riku and Iori were both pulled out of their own little world by Tamaki. Their blue-haired friend had taken it upon himself that morning to try and keep everyone cheerful. He was loud, a big smile on his face as he talked and played around with the others. However, maybe he was a bit too playful at the breakfast table, as he soon knocked over the entire carton of juice. 

“Tamaki!” Riku exclaimed as the juice ran down the table and onto his lap. Tamaki winced. “I’m really sorry.” He said, then he pouted at the sight of all the spilled juice. “My juice…” He then said sadly, making the others laugh, including Riku. 

Riku shook his head and smiled at his friend. “I swear, sometimes your just like a big kid.” He said, humor in his voice to show that he didn’t mean anything bad by it. Tamaki however, tensed up as Riku said it, only to shake himself out of it a second later, a big grin spreading over his face as he sat down and promptly started playing with his food. 

Riku frowned, why had Tamaki tensed up for a second? Had he taken it the wrong way and been offended? But he didn’t seem bothered by the statement now… and nobody else had reacted strangely. Riku felt a cold shiver travel down his spine, and for a second, he recalled the meeting with Senkhara. 

Riku shook his head to clear his mind, quickly dismissing the thought of what happened last night. As the others started cleaning up and leaving the room, so too did Riku. He smiled and joked with his friends, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He just wasn’t sure what just yet. 

Even though Riku’s mood had increased during breakfast, the bad feeling he got from what happened with Tamaki stayed behind, making him feel increasingly irritable as the minutes passed. Right now, Riku and the others were all walking to school together, and the bad feeling still lingered, even though Riku tried to ignore it. 

Iori must have noticed either way, because he grabbed Riku’s arm and pulled him to walk in the back with him, so that they could get some semblance of privacy. “Hey, is something wrong? Is it your Gran?” He asked in concern. 

Riku smiled and shook his head. He could have told Iori, he knew that. But if Riku told Iori what was bothering him, then Riku would have to acknowledge and figure out what had happened last night, and he just really didn’t want to right now. “I’m fine, Iori. It’s like Tenn-nii said, nothing was seriously wrong with Gran, so she’ll be able to go back home soon.” Riku said. 

However, Iori did not look convinced. “Are you sure? I can see that something is troubling you. You know you can talk to me, right? About anything?” Iori said, trying to coax Riku into telling him what was wrong. 

Riku sighed, his bad mood was making him irritable. He knew Iori was just being caring and that he should feel happy about that, but right now he just wanted to be left alone. “I know, Iori. And I will come to you when there’s anything to tell you. Really, I’m fine.” He said, trying not to sound bothered. 

Iori frowned again. “Are you sure though? I could-” He started, but Riku turned around and glared at him to shut him up. “Forget it, Iori! Just forget all of it!” He said. Iori stopped in his tracks and Riku took that as his chance to walk away. But as he did, the same bad feeling that had overcome him earlier with Tamaki came back, only stronger. Once again, Riku decided to ignore it. 

It was lunch time when Riku snapped the next time. The entire morning had felt a bit off and Riku had hoped that he might calm down once he had other things to focus on, such as school. Only that didn’t happen, he stayed just as irritable and moody as before. 

While sitting down at lunch, the others surely noticed, they just chose not to acknowledge it after Riku had shot them down. Instead, Nagi was currently trying to discuss the latest episode of his favourite anime, Magical Kokona. It wasn’t a rare occurrence, Riku believed he could recite the entire show by now, despite only having seen three or four episodes with Nagi. 

Riku tried to listen and join the conversation, hoping it might cheer him up. But instead, he just grew more and more tired of listening, it just felt like a waste of time. Soon, Riku stopped even pretending to be interested, but Nagi kept on talking anyway. Either he hadn’t noticed, or Riku wasn’t being as obvious as he thought. 

Finally, Riku had had enough. “Nagi, please shut up! I’m sorry, but I don’t want to hear it right now.” He said. Nagi stopped talking mid sentence and shut his mouth. Riku sighed, he thought that he might start to feel better, but instead he just felt worse. 

Sougo decided then that maybe they should address the problem after all, though only in a calm manner. He reached out and placed one hand on Riku’s arm and the other on Nagi’s. “Maybe you should calm down a little? You don’t have to tell us, Riku-kun, but we can see that something is bothering you. If you want to talk, or if you want us to give you space, tell us.” He said. 

Riku frowned and pulled his arm free of Sougo’s hold. “Sougo-san, why do you always have to act like such a grown-up?!” Riku complained, and once more he got that bad feeling. Suddenly, it overcame him in a wave that was too strong to just ignore and Riku knew something was wrong, it had to be. 

He looked up and saw that his friends were all looking at him with expressions ranging from worry to hurt, and immediately, Riku felt really guilty. What was he doing? These were his friends who always helped him, no matter how difficult or dangerous it was. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just felt so irritable all of a sudden.” Riku apologized. 

Nagi smiled and opened his mouth then, but for some reason, no sound came out. He closed his mouth, looking confused, then cleared his throat and tried again only to fail once more. “Are you okay?” Sougo asked. Nagi shrugged and pointed to his throat. “Did Nagicchi lose his voice? Lame!” Tamaki said, which seemed a bit immature, even for him. 

Ignoring the others, Iori reached out and grabbed Riku’s hand in his. “It’s okay, something obviously happened… Do you want to tell us?” He asked again. This time, Riku smiled sadly and nodded, thus agreeing to tell them. “Honestly though, I’m not sure what to tell you. Maybe it’s the stress of the quest combined with worrying for Gran last night. Or maybe Senkhara cursed me again when I told her off last night.” He said. 

Sougo, Tamaki and Nagi all tensed up at that. “You met Senkhara last night?” Sougo asked. Riku nodded. “At least I think so, when I was walking back to the house. Though my memory is a bit fuzzy, so it might just have been a dream.” He said. 

Then another strange thing happened. Iori, who was still sitting beside Riku, holding his hand, cleared his throat to gain the others’ attention. He looked extremely confused. “I’m sorry, who is Senkhara?” He asked. 

Riku’s eyes widened in shock. “Iori… are you joking?” He asked. Iori shook his head, his expression as serious as it could be. Riku looked over at the others, Tamaki shrugged before going back to his food but both Nagi and Sougo looked just as concerned as Riku felt. 

Riku turned back to Iori. “Senkhara is the ghost who cursed us, remember? She’s the reason we’re looking for the Mask of Anubis in the first place.” He explained. Realization dawned on Iori then. “Right, she’s the one who cursed us. I recall now. But… what did you say we were looking for again?” He asked this time. 

Riku couldn’t believe his ears. First Senkhara, then the Mask of Anubis. What was wrong with Iori? And why couldn’t Nagi speak? Why was Tamaki acting strange?” He didn’t understand anything. However, he wasn’t given a chance to dwell on it as the bell soon rung, announcing that it was time to go back to class. And so, the members of Sibuna reluctantly parted ways. 

Almost the entire school had gathered in the gymnasium after all the classes had ended. It was time for the ping pong tournament. Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn stood with Sousuke in one end of the room while the opposite team, a boy and a girl, both with straight black hair and glasses, stood at the other end with one of their teachers. The students who had decided to watch the ordeal were stood along the walls. 

All of the other Anubis House residents stood close to Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu, as they were friends and housemates. They had all come to cheer them on. However, Riku would occasionally glance over at the other Sibuna members in worry. Nagi still hadn’t gotten his voice back, Tamaki was still acting weird, skittish and playful, Iori still occasionally asked questions about things that he really should know the answer to. And now, even Sougo seemed to be affected by whatever was happening to them. He complained about being sore and he was convinced he had pulled multiple muscles. 

Riku tried to forget about it for just a short while, after all, it was his brother who was playing! Riku wanted to watch and support him for once. Besides, he and the rest of Sibuna had decided to have a meeting after the tournament was over. Riku told himself to stop thinking about it until then. 

Then someone blew a whistle, a sign that the tournament was starting. The students all turned to watch as Sousuke stepped out in the middle of the room, holding a microphone. “Welcome everyone, to this ping pong tournament! And an extra big welcome to our guests, the current champions of the esteemed Watanabe Ping Pong Tournament, Hanamaki High School!” He exclaimed, earning a big applause from the audience. 

The boy and the girl stepped forward and waved, both brimming with pride. Perhaps that wasn’t all that surprising, they had managed to hold onto the title of champions for many years now. Still, they appeared a bit obnoxious. 

“Now then,” Sousuke started, and the crowd quieted down. “This tournament will be played in teams of two, and from our own school Yaotome Academy, we have Tsunashi Ryuunosuke and Nanase Tenn!” Another applause reverberated throughout the room, especially strong from where the Anubis House residents stood. Tenn and Ryuu waved at the crowd, Tenn with a perfectly polite smile and Ryuu looking humble as usual. 

Sousuke continued once everyone stopped applauding again. “The tournament is best out of five games! Meaning, the first team who wins three games will be the champion. And we fight for this!” He said, pointing at the other school’s teacher who stood holding something under a sheet. When he removed the sheat, he revealed the Watanabe shield. 

The shield itself was about the size of a plate, albeit on the bigger side, and made out of wood. There was a small plaque with text in the middle, displaying who had donated it and why. It also had tiny golden plaques along the lower rim, where they displayed all the previous winners of the shield. And finally, in the center at the very top of the shield there was a cavity, a cavity where the gem that Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn had searched for was supposed to go. 

Sousuke cleared his throat. “If the players would take their positions, I declare that this tournament can finally start!” He declared before once more blowing his whistle. 

The ping pong tournament lasted longer than most had thought it would, and Tenn and Ryuu hung in there surprisingly well while playing against the school that had hung onto the shield for years on end. They were down to their fifth and final game, each team having won two games each so far. However, this game to was soon coming to a close. 

It was the other team’s serve, and soon, they’d scored another point. Now Hanamaki High only needed one more point to win this entire thing while Tenn and Ryuu needed three. And on top of that, they both were starting to look quite tired. 

The tension was high as what could be the final serve was made. Everyone kept looking back and forth, following the ball with their gazes as they waited for one of the teams to make a mistake. Gaku was holding his breath, they were so close to winning, yet he sensed that something was bound to go wrong near the end. 

Which sucked, because Tenn and Ryuu had really given the other team a run for their money. Even without the whole gem and shield issue, Gaku wanted his friends to win just because they had worked so hard for it. 

Then, finally someone caved. The boy on the other team hit the ball in what should have been a straight line, only it curved once it reached Tenn and Ryuu’s side of the table. To his credit, Tenn tried to throw himself after the ball, though in the end he missed and collapsed onto the floor. And with that, the tournament was over, they had lost. 

The other team cheered and high-fived, though they didn’t look shocked that they had won again. Gaku walked up to Ryuu, patted him on the back, then walked over to Tenn and extended a hand for him to take. Tenn winced as Gaku pulled him up, making his two friends worry. “Are you okay?” Ryuu asked. 

Tenn looked at his hand, then sighed. “I think I sprained my wrist or something when I threw myself after that final ball… It doesn’t hurt too much, but it’s definitely sore.” He said. Gaku frowned. “You should have that looked at, make sure it’s not broken.” He said. “Also… You two were really good.” He then added with a smile. 

Ryuu sighed. “We lost though… Now we can’t put the gem back.” He said sadly. Gaku patted his back encouragingly. “Relax! The rules say the same school can challenge the winners once a year, so while you and I can’t, Tenn can try and win it back after spring break.” He said. 

Tenn’s eyes widened slightly as he turned to Gaku. “You would entrust me with the gem? Wasn’t that supposed to be some sort of reconciliation between you and your dad?” He asked. Gaku smirked and shrugged. “That was just a plus, really. I mostly just found out about the gem and thought it would be nice to return it. Also, you clearly needed a distraction.” He said. 

Now Tenn fully gaped at him in shock. “You did all this… for me?” He asked. Gaku sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “Listen here brat, because I’ll only say this once. Despite me bitching at you, you are still one of my best friends. So of course I care about you.” He said. 

Ryuu was so delighted by this display of affection that he almost started crying before he pulled both Gaku and Tenn into a hug. This might have looked a bit weird to the others as they had just lost and still looked happy, but they really couldn’t care less. 

At the same time, people started walking up to both them and the other team, congratulating them either on winning or having played so well. Amongst them were Tamaki, who walked up to the opposing team and studied them with wonder in his eyes. The boy and the girl promptly ignored him, probably thinking he was just being annoying. 

Then, out of nowhere, Tamaki smirked and called out to the guy. “Hey, I like your hat!” He said and reached up to pull off the cap that sat atop the boy’s head. The boy didn’t have time to register it, but if he would have had the time, he surely would have panicked. Because when Tamaki pulled the hat off, about a dosen ping pong balls fell to the floor. 

The room turned silent in the blink of an eye as everyone turned to stare at the scene. Tamaki, who seemed ignorant to all the stares, bent down and picked up a ball, then he laughed. “This ball is funny!” He exclaimed before bouncing the ball on the floor. The ball did indeed bounce funnily. 

Gaku frowned and crouched to pick another ball up. When he did, his eyes turned angry. “It’s weighted.” He said and stood up. “These balls are weighted! Their team cheated!” He called out. Several gasps and whispers could be heard throughout the room. 

The boy who had kept the ball under his hat took a step forward and raised his arms. “Those balls may be weighted, but we never used them! It is just a good luck charm! Superstition!” He claimed. 

Tenn scowled and resisted the urge to laugh at the blatant lie. “That’s stupid! I saw you multiple times reach up to your head! I figured you were just correcting your hat or wiping sweat off your forehead, but you grabbed a ball, didn’t you? I bet all the balls you served were these weighted ones!” He called out. 

The boy was about to argue again when Sousuke stepped in. “SILENCE!” He called out, and everyone obeyed. The headmaster pulled the other school’s teacher aside and announced that they would discuss the outcome now that this news had come to light. About five minutes later, they returned. 

“After having discussed this new development, we have come to an agreement. The fifth and final game will be replayed, using normal, not-weighted balls. The winner of this one game will win the tournament!” Sousuke announced, which seemingly annoyed the other team. 

Tenn pulled on Gaku’s sleeve then and looked up at him while holding out his ping pong paddle. “You’re going to have to play this last game.” He said. Gaku blinked down at him, clearly shocked by this. “What? Why?” He asked. Tenn rolled his eyes. “My hand, stupid. I sprained it, so I really shouldn’t play another game. Even if I am better than you.” He said. 

Gaku gave in and took the paddle, then he turned to Ryuu and nodded. “Let’s win this then.” He said. Ryuu smiled and agreed before he and Gaku walked over to the table. Tenn walked over to the side and joined the other Anubis House residents. 

The final game started anew, and even without the weighted balls, the other team was still good. Maybe not better than Ryuu, but definitely better than Gaku. Also, Ryuu was tired from already having played five games, and he wasn’t used to it like the two from the other team. Needless to say, it was a tough match. 

Soon though, Gaku and Ryuu had the match point. The entire room was silent in anticipation as what could be the final serve, for real this time, was fired. They went on back and forth for about a minute. Then, much to Gaku and Ryuu’s delight, one of the opponents shots went wide and completely missed the table! 

For a minute, everyone stayed silent, then the dam broke and everyone started cheering. Gaku and Ryuu had won! The other team threw their paddles on the ground in frustration, they clearly hadn’t come there thinking they would lose. This didn’t bother Gaku though, as he was too busy celebrating his win with his friends. 

Sousuke was laughing, and for once, he actually looked proud of his son. He received the Watanabe Shield from the other school’s teacher and held it up triumphantly. “I am proud to present the winners of the Watanabe Ping Pong Tournament!” He exclaimed before turning to the three friends. “Tsunashi Ryuunosuke, Nanase Tenn and Yaotome Gaku! Congratulations!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! They won the tournament, yay! But what is happening to Sibuna??? Find out on Saturday when I'll be back with the next chapter! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna tries to figure out what is wrong with them and comes to a worrying conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! Please enjoy it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

The ping pong tournament between Yaotome Academy and Hanamaki High School had ended and all of the students had been dismissed. Seeing as they were free to go, Riku led his friends away from the school and back to the house. They all made their way up to Nagi and Riku’s room and then closed the door behind them to ensure they had enough privacy.

Once that was done, they all turned to Riku expectantly. “So, tell us exactly what you remember from your meeting with…” Iori started, but it was clear that he was struggling to remember the spirit’s name. “Senkhara.” Sougo offered. “Right, Senkhara. Tell us about your meeting with Senkhara last night. Because it was last night, right? Or was it earlier?” He asked, sounding very unsure. 

Riku sighed. “Yes, it was last night, as I was heading back to the house after Vera had dropped Tenn-nii and I off.” He started explaining. “She was angry that I was wasting time or something. And I guess, because of the stress, I kind of snapped at her. I may have said I wouldn’t do what she wanted anymore and told her to leave us alone.” Riku continued. 

Sougo and Nagi winced, then Nagi tried to comment on it, but he still couldn’t seem to make any sound. Sougo spoke in his stead. “That was reckless… But I understand why you did it.” He said. Iori nodded, showing that he agreed with Sougo. “Right. Also, what exactly does she want us to do again?” He asked. 

Riku stared at Iori in disbelief. One did not simply forget multiple things like this unless something was wrong. Had he hit his head or something? Then again, Iori wasn’t the only one acting weirdly. 

Obviously, Nagi had somehow lost his voice completely. Tamaki didn’t seem to take anything seriously and was just goofing around all the time. Riku was about to reassure himself that at least Sougo seemed normal when the older boy winced in pain and started rubbing his hip. That was when Riku recalled the strange body aches Sougo had dealt with starting that afternoon. 

That was when Riku recalled something from his conversation with Senkhara that he had not remembered before. Just before she left him alone in the cold, dark evening, she had told him she would punish him, and that his punishment would be to punish. He quickly told the others about this, after which Nagi seemed to have a realization. 

Nagi rushed over to his desk and grabbed a notebook and a pen, after which he started writing something down. When he held the notebook up, it read, “Earlier today you told me to shut up, and then Senkhara hexed my voice!” 

Riku’s eyes widened. “Oh my god… You’re right.” He said before collapsing onto his own bed. “I told Tamaki he was just a big child, and now he’s really acting like one! I told you, Iori, to ‘forget about it’ when you asked what was wrong, and now you are losing your memory! And Sougo-san… Actually, I’m not sure what I told you.” Riku said. 

Sougo however, seemed to have an idea of his own. “You did tell me I always act like such a grown up. Now my muscles and joints are aching, and I got winded from walking up the stairs.” He said. Riku sighed. “So you are getting older?” He asked dejectedly. 

“I’ve cursed you all. It’s my fault.” Riku said, a bitter expression on his face. He didn’t cry though, it didn’t feel right for him to cry when he was technically the one in the room who was the least cursed. 

Iori sat down beside Riku and grabbed his hand. “There may be a few gaps in my memory,” Iori started. “But I know this isn’t all your fault. You couldn’t have known what would happen when you stood up to…” Iori trailed off again, then smiled as he seemed to recall something on his own. “To Senkhara.” He finished. 

Nagi clapped his hands then, thus getting the other’s attention before holding up his notebook again. “How do we undo the curses then?” Riku read out loud, then he shook his head. “I’m not sure, she didn’t say. But I’m guessing she wants us to keep going. Maybe they’ll go away on their own once we clear the next task, or maybe when we get the amulet back from Tsukumo. Worst case scenario, we’ll have to deal with it until we find the Mask of Anubis.” He said. 

“So,” started Sougo. “All we can do now is continue with the task as usual?” He asked. Riku nodded grimly. “Yes. Let’s just hope that whatever this is, that it doesn’t get worse.” He said. Although, even though Riku didn’t voice these worries, he had a feeling the curses were only starting. 

After the tournament ended and the other school had left, all the excitement started to die down. Sousuke had gone off to place the shield in the school’s trophy case, a big smile on his face the entire time. Some of the other staff had offered to clean up after the tournament, and thus, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn had been excused. 

However, the three friends stayed behind in the school for a while. Only when they were sure that they could be alone did they walk up to the display case to observe just what it was that they had won. The Watanabe Shield stood in the very center of the glass case, the new centerpiece. It made the previously barren trophy case seem a bit more impressive. 

“We did it. We actually won the ping pong tournament.” Ryuu said in disbelief. “I think there was this part of me that told me it was crazy to think that we could win against a school that has held onto it for years.” He added. 

“But we did it.” Tenn said. Gaku laughed at that. “We sure did. Although…” He started before turning around, smiling from ear to ear. “I think there’s something missing, don’t you?” He asked before reaching into his pocket and taking out the small, round, pink gem. 

Tenn and Ryuu smiled back at Gaku. “Is it time then? Time to put it back?” Tenn asked. Gaku nodded. Then, they turned and opened up the display case so that Gaku could reach inside and place the gem in the small cavity at the top. It fit perfectly. 

The three took a step back and just observed the now complete shield for a moment, smiling now that it was done. Then, Ryuu patted Gaku’s back and nodded in the direction of the headmaster’s office. “Come on, let’s go tell your father.”He said, before all three walked off to find Sousuke and show him the gem. 

That night, a celebration was being held at the House of Anubis to celebrate Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn’s win. Some of the teachers were there, as were Akihiko and Tsumugi. A few other students had also come, friends of the guys who lived in Anubis House. 

Vera had cooked dinner, with Tsumugi having helped a bit on the side. Although, for some reason the former housemother had seemed to be avoiding the kitchen, where Vera usually was. 

Riku was currently stood in the corner of the room, a can of soda in his hand as he watched the people mill about the room. He had spent a bit of time talking to his brother, but had gotten distracted by Tamaki starting to play with Tsukumo’s stuffed animals. After that little incident, Riku had decided it might be for the best if he focused on watching over the other Sibuna members. 

Riku had convinced Iori to only come to him or Sougo if he had questions, since Nagi couldn’t speak and Tamaki most likely wouldn’t give him a serious answer. Also, he had done it so that no one else would discover his memory issue. Now all Riku could do was hope that Iori didn’t forget about that promise as well. 

Nagi had told everyone, or at least written down and shown everyone, that he had lost his voice cheering too loudly during the ping pong tournament. That excuse would work for him for a few days, but if this curse didn’t lift soon, they would have a bit of a problem. 

Sougo had already excused himself to go back to his room. He had grown tired quickly and chosen to retire for the night. That at least meant that he would be away from prying eyes and people who could suspect something was wrong. 

Tamaki was the big problem. He had a seemingly endless supply of energy, and he was way too playful. He was cheerful, playing around with whatever he could find one second, then the next he could be throwing a tantrum. Riku had spent the majority of the evening following him, making sure he didn’t do anything too crazy. 

However, doing this was really taking up Riku’s energy, and he wanted nothing more than to do what Sougo was doing and go to bed. He only stayed because he feared that something would go wrong if he left for too long. Still, he needed a break and decided that a few minutes of fresh air couldn’t hurt. 

Riku walked up to Nagi and poked his shoulder. “Can you look after Tamaki and Iori for a few minutes? I just need some air.” He said. Nagi smiled and nodded, undoubtedly noticing how tired Riku must look by now. And with that, Riku headed outside into the garden. 

Riku sat down on the steps leading up to the house, looked up at the night sky and just breathed. He felt the tension just melting away from the cold and the quiet. He felt truly calm. At least, he did feel calm until someone cleared their throat in front of him. 

Riku opened his eyes and startled to his feet as he saw the familiar face of Senkhara standing in front of him. His heart beat violently in his chest, their last encounter replaying in his mind. Senkhara smirked and looked down on him, despite Riku being the taller of the two. “Now do you see how powerful I am, boy?” She asked. 

Riku gulped and nodded. “Yes!” Riku exclaimed. “I promise to do whatever you say from now on! Just please, release my friends!” He asked of her. Senkhara scoffed, as if the thought was utterly ridiculous. “You brought all of this on yourself, Chosen One.” She said. 

“Please!” Riku said again. “I’ll do anything, just tell me what I have to do for you to lift their curses!” He said. Again, Senkhara smirked. “Very well. I shall lift the curses off of your friends once you clear the latest task in the tunnels. If, and only if you manage to solve it before the Raven does.” She declared. 

Riku nodded. “Yes! I’ll do everything in my power to solve the task as soon as possible!” He said. Senkhara nodded in approval. “That’s what I though. But be warned. Do not fail me again, or your friends will pay the price. The curses shall never be lifted if the Raven beats you to it.” She said, and then she vanished. 

The next morning, Riku was glad to see that he and the rest of Sibuna were the only ones in the dining room. Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn were probably tired after yesterday’s tournament and party, and Mitsuki and Yamato ha left early because they had something they needed to do before school started for the day. 

Riku was glad for the privacy, he wanted to tell the others about his encounter with Senkhara last night, after all. Once he told them what Senkhara had said, they were both relieved and troubled. They now knew that the curses could be lifted and what they needed to do in order to lift them. They also knew that if they failed, they would never get better, which was not a very comforting thought. 

However, that was when Sougo came up with something. “Wait a minute, if all we have to do is solve the task before Tsukumo does, then couldn’t we make sure that we do that by taking back the amulet? If he doesn’t have an amulet, he can’t enter the tunnels, and then he can’t solve the next task.” He said. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “You’re right… Oh my god, I never even thought of that! Senkhara only said that we had to solve it before Tsukumo, she gave us no other time limit.” He said. Off to the side, Iori furrowed his brows. “A time limit for what? Are we late for something? Wait, don’t tell me! Senkhara is our teacher and we’re late to class, right?” He asked. 

Riku smiled sympathetically and shook his head. Iori looked a bit deflated, but otherwise he quickly let the issue go. Maybe he even forgot all about it. Then Nagi slapped the table to get their attention, then he showed them his notebook. “We can’t just focus on getting the amulet back. Let’s prioritize the task and get the amulet if we get the opportunity.” It read. 

Riku nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” He said. “What are we even supposed to do?” Tamaki asked without looking up from the piece of abstract art he was making with different fruits on his plate with pancakes. 

“About that…” Riku started explaining. “I’ve been thinking about the task. I’m not entirely sure, we’re still kind of waiting for help from the dollhouse. But I we’ve already established that we need to play a piece of music using the four horns down in the tunnels. The fact that the chamber is dedicated to Hathor only strengthens this theory, as she was the Goddess of the arts, including music. The question is just what we are supposed to play.” He said. 

“We’ll just have to think about it, maybe do some research in the library. We can check on the dollhouse once we get back from school.” Sougo said, smiling encouragingly at Riku, who nodded in thanks. “Speaking of, maybe we should get going soon.” Riku said then, and so they left the room and started heading to school. 

On the way to school, Iori pulled Riku aside and gave him a pleading look. “Sorry, but could you explain everything that is going on again? It keeps getting fuzzier…” He admitted. Riku smiled sadly and nodded before he started explaining everything to Iori. Again. 

Iori nodded along, but Riku couldn’t help but think that all this explaining was a bit pointless. Iori would probably just forget it all in a few minutes anyway. Still, if explaining it made his boyfriend feel better, then Riku was happy to keep explaining things for as long as he needed to. 

When Riku was finished, Iori nodded and thanked him. Riku smiled at him, glad to see him feeling at ease. Then a thought entered Riku’s head. A thought that made Riku feel things. Bad things. In worry, he turned to Iori and grabbed his hand. “Iori… You still remember me, don’t you?” He asked timidly, afraid that Iori would say that he didn’t. 

But Iori only smiled at Riku and lifted a hand to caress his cheek. “Of course. You’re Nanase Riku, my wonderful boyfriend. I could never forget you.” He said reassuringly. Riku beamed a smile up at him, then leaned in and placed a quick peck on Iori’s lips, leaving the other boy flustered but pleased. Feeling a lot better, Riku followed his friends the rest of the way to school. 

After school, Riku and Tenn were called to the hospital. Their Gran was supposed to leave that day. but they’d been told that some more test results had come in and that they should be there. The twins were nervous to say the least as they were on their way, but they kept telling themselves and each other that everything was going to be okay. 

When they got to the hospital, Riku and Tenn quickly made their way to their Gran's room, where a doctor was already waiting for them. “Ah, you two must be the grandsons? I am Doctor Misaki, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Said the doctor, a middle aged man with a kind face, as he held out his hand in greeting. 

Riku and Tenn both shook his hand and introduced themselves before they went over to Emi, who proceeded to tell them she felt fine, no worse than when they visited last time. They didn’t miss how she didn’t tell them she felt any better either, though. 

Soon, the doctor stepped closer, holding some papers in his hands. “Right, as you already know, we planned on letting Nanase Emi go back home today, however, we got some new test results in today that has made us change our minds.” He said. 

Riku and Tenn eyed each other. “What were the results?” Tenn asked. The doctor sighed. “Inconclusive.” He said. “What?” Asked Riku. “The tests were inconclusive. Neither positive or negative, meaning we don’t really know what is going on. And while it’s true that Emi has not gotten any worse, she hasn’t really gotten better either. Because of this, we would like to run more tests and have her stay here for observation in the meantime.” Doctor Misaki explained. 

Emi smiled and patted the back of both Riku and Tenn’s hands. “It’s okay, I just have to stay a bit longer is all.” She said. “But it gets awfully lonely, so if you two have the time, maybe you could come visit sometime? I might have to stay a while after all.” 

Riku and Tenn nodded and assured Emi that of course they would come visit her while she stayed at the hospital. After that, Doctor Misaki told them that he would call them if anything changed with Emi’s condition or if they got any answers to what might be wrong. The twins thanked him and then they left the hospital. 

After coming back from the hospital and discovering that there were no new clues from the dollhouse, Riku decided that they should go check out the tunnels again. Maybe they missed something in the new chamber. He told the others, and so they descended into the tunnels under the house. 

As they entered the tunnels, Iori looked around in awe, almost as if he was seeing it for the first time. Riku soon realized that for Iori, this was like seeing them for the first time. He must have forgotten all about them. “Woah… Isn’t it amazing how there are tunnels here under the house? How long do they go on for?” He asked. 

Riku looked over at the others in worry, it seemed like Iori’s memory was getting worse. Tamaki didn’t look bothered, he probably didn’t understand the problem, but both Nagi and Sougo looked just as concerned as Riku felt. 

Riku then turned back to Iori, linked his arm with his and smiled. Then, as they walked, Riku explained about the tunnels and how they had been there before to Iori. Riku could see that it bothered Iori as well that he had forgotten about them. If Riku and the others were worried, imagine how it must feel for Iori. 

Meanwhile, behind them were Nagi and Sougo. Sougo was busy showing Nagi how some of his hair was turning gray. Out of everyone who could have been stuck with Sougo’s curse, at least the hair-turning-gray problem wasn’t all that noticeable, seeing as his hair was already a light purple color. Still, it bothered them all that they seemed to be getting worse. 

When they finally reached the new room, the chamber of Hathor, everything looked just as it had when they left. The walls were bare, the ceiling domed, and then there was the pipe with the four horns in the center. It was the first time Nagi and Sougo saw the room in person, as Tamaki, Riku and Iori had gone alone last time. And so, the two second years wanted to take a look around first. 

They all searched every nook and cranny of the room, and yet they found nothing. No obscure clue, no puzzle, no picture. Just barren walls and dirty floors and spider webs. Maybe there was nothing down here after all. 

It didn’t take all that long for one particular member of their company to become very restless. So while the others kept adamantly searching, even though Iori had to ask what they were looking for three times, Tamaki was mostly pacing around the room, making odd sounds and drawing pictures into the dirt on the floor. 

Tamaki sighed. “Are we done soon? This is booooring!” He exclaimed. Then, he seemed to notice the four big, metallic horns in the middle of the room. He also noticed that they seemed much more exciting than anything else there. So, Tamaki stood up, walked over to the contraption and then grabbed one of the horns. “What does this do?” He asked. 

Riku turned around just in time to see Tamaki put his mouth to the instrument and immediately called out in panic. “Wait, Tamaki! We don’t know what happens if we play the wrong-” He started, but didn’t have time to finish before Tamaki blew into the horn with all that he had, producing a single note. 

For a minute, they all stood there in silence, wide-eyed and worried about what could possibly go wrong. Just as they were starting to think that maybe it was safe, just as they started to relax, a new sound played. This one was much louder and much more horrible. It was so loud, it made the ground shake. 

They all covered their ears and crouched down. When they noticed dust falling down from above, they looked up, only to see the cracks in the ceiling start to grow. Wide-eyed with fear, Riku motioned and yelled for the others to run away, scared that the ceiling would collapse on them. 

The horrible sound stopped by the time they reached the chamber that was previously the room of the spider web test. As it stopped, Sibuna went back to check on the room, relieved to find that the ceiling was still intact. “Okay, so that is what happens when we play the wrong melody.” Iori commented. 

Riku nodded, still in a daze. “I bet if we play it wrong enough times, that ceiling won’t hold up, thus blocking the exit forever.” He said. “And potentially crush anyone still inside.” Tamaki added, smiling morbidly as if he thought that was just about the coolest thing that had happened all day. 

Riku sighed. “Come on, let’s go back. We clearly won’t find any more clues down here. And I’d rather avoid another incident like the one just now.” He said, casting a worried glance Tamaki’s way. It really was just like looking after a mischievous child. The others agreed, and so they left the tunnels as empty handed as when they had entered. 

The next morning, Riku was woken up by an over enthusiastic Nagi. Riku blinked in shock as his roommate practically leaped onto him. “W-what?” Riku asked, disoriented and half-asleep. Since Nagi couldn’t speak, he had apparently decided to shake Riku to wake him up instead. 

“I’m awake! I’m awake! What’s up, Nagi?” Riku asked. As Riku sat up drowsily, Nagi backed away from the bed, smiling triumphantly. Just before Riku was about to ask again, Nagi proudly held up a tablet, sort of like an iPad. Nagi then turned the tablet around and started messing around with it. Riku soon understood that he was writing something. 

When, about a minute later, Nagi looked up at Riku expectantly just as a robotic voice came out of the tablet, Riku finally understood Nagi’s enthusiasm. “I found my old tablet this morning! I can use this instead of speaking so that you don’t have to read what I want to say all the time!” The voice said. 

Riku laughed and nodded at Nagi. “That’s great! It will make things easier!” He said and Nagi nodded in agreement. The blond boy then left the room, surely intending to show the others his ingenious solution to his curse problem. 

Riku sighed and pushed himself out of bed and went to get dressed. After that, he headed downstairs to have breakfast. To his horror, he was met with the sight of Tamaki throwing his worst tantrum yet in front of everyone at the breakfast table. A tantrum about what, you might ask? It was about Yamato having taken the final slice of ham which, according to Tamaki, had been his. 

Everyone who wasn’t a part of Sibuna looked confused, and a tad bit irritated at Tamaki’s antics. In the end, Gaku turned to Iori with a frown on his face. “Did he not sleep all night, or what?” He asked. However, Iori only looked confused. “Why are you asking me that?” He asked, as if there was no possible way for Iori to know Tamaki’s sleep schedule. Despite them being roommates. 

Riku saw the look on Iori’s face and knew instantly that his memory had eluded him again. So, he stepped in himself. “Probably because you share a room with him. But since you slept, of course you wouldn’t know.” Riku said, hoping Gaku would be satisfied with that, and that the explanation would be enough for Iori to put two and two together. 

Luckily, Gaku turned back around, away from them, and Iori looked like he understood what had just happened. The rest of the breakfast passed without incident, but one thing still bothered Riku. Sougo had not come down yet. It was first when Riku had finished his breakfast and was about to head back upstairs that he ran into Sougo, quite literally, in the entrance hall. 

Sougo fell over from the collision and landed on his bum, causing Riku to fret over him. “Sougo-san, I’m so sorry! Are you hurt?” He asked, extending a hand, offering to help him up. Sougo smiled and accepted the help. “Don’t worry about it, I’m fine! It’s just, my balance isn’t what it used to be…” He admitted. 

That was when Riku noticed that something other than Sougo’s balance was off. Sougo, who never wore accessories to school (other than the amulet and sometimes a wristwatch), was wearing a bright red woolly hat and a pair of big, square sunglasses. “Sougo-san… What are you wearing?” Riku asked incredulously. 

Sougo sighed. “Does it look that bad? But it’s either this, or people might notice my… predicament.” Sougo said dejectedly before removing the hat and the glasses. Riku’s eyes widened as he saw that Sougo’s hair had almost completely faded to gray and wrinkles had started to form around his eyes and cheeks. Sougo was wearing those accessories to hide the physical effects of the curse. 

Riku forced a smile onto his face before assuring Sougo that it really wasn’t all that bad and that he should stick with the “disguise”. Then he left Sougo behind and headed upstairs. Riku closed the door to his room and flopped down on his bed dramatically. He wanted to cry, but he held back, knowing that crying would do nothing to help his friends. Their curses seemed to be getting worse. 

Being cursed was bad enough, but to watch as your closest friends suffered from curses you yourself had caused? Riku felt so bad about it, he couldn’t think straight. Still, he didn’t want those feelings of guilt to show to the others. They had enough to deal with as it was. 

To make matters worse, they were no closer to solving the task down in the tunnels than yesterday. They needed to make progress, and they needed to do it quick. Only, none of them knew how to keep going from here. 

Not knowing what else to do, and quite frankly, feeling at his wits end, Riku stood up and walked over to the dollhouse. He then bored his eyes into the facade of the house. “Sara, if you’re out there, then please help us! I don’t know what to do! Please! Give us a sign, a clue, anything!” Riku pleaded desperately. He wasn’t really expecting it to work, but much to his shock, and delight, the dollhouse soon lit up. 

Riku smiled brightly. “Thank you, Sara!” He exclaimed as he rushed over to the dollhouse and opened it. Upon doing so, he noticed that only one room was lit up, the living room. And on closer inspection, Riku saw that in one corner of the room there stood a music-stand. On top of that, there was a tiny sheet of music on it. 

Riku cheered and reached in to grab it. The paper was small, barely the size of a postage stamp. The lines where there were supposed to be notes were empty, but Riku was delighted when he saw that at the top of the page, the title of the piece was clear to see. “The Song of Hathor.” Riku read out loud. 

Smiling to himself, Riku couldn’t help but think that this had to be the piece of music they needed to play to clear the task. And now that they knew that, they just needed to figure out how the song went. Riku could think of one person they could ask about it. They needed to pay another visit to Akihiko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it was quite... interesting to write about all of their curses. But hopefully they'll be able to do something about it now that they have the name of the song. If you wanna find out what happens next, you'll have to wait until Wednesday, that's when I'll be back with a new chapter! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna keep working on the task despite the complications that the curses bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back again with a new chapter! Also, as you may have noticed, this fanfic now have a set number of chapters, 58! I am actually just about to start writing the final chapter (because I like to pre-write my fanfics)!!!!! My goal is to have the final chapter finished by the end of the week. But this also means that starting next week, I'd like to strt posting a bit more often. I'll still post every Wednesday and Saturday, but on top of that I'll also be posting a new chapter on Mondays! So, to summarise, starting NEXT WEEK, you'll get a new chapter every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. I hope you all are excited for the rest of this fanfic and that you'll stick around til the end! Anyway, please enjoy this new chapter! And if you have any questions or want to talk to me, just hit me up over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Riku had been excited to say the least when he finally told the other Sibuna members about the clue he had received from the dollhouse. About the fact that the Song of Hathor was the tune they needed to play to advance through the tunnels. They were finally making progress, and now that they knew the song, they could hopefully find the right information regarding it soon.

Their first stop, Watanabe Library, they were going to see Akihiko. Iori was glad to go and see his old friend, and even more so over the fact that he still remembered him. His mood soured however, when he realized that he couldn’t for the life of him remembered why Akihiko was at the school instead of at his antique shop. 

When the five friends reached the library, they were relieved to find it open. Tamaki skipped inside, happily going over to find Tsumugi. Sougo sighed and followed him, saying how someone should keep an eye on him now. Riku didn’t argue with that and let the two go off, leaving him with Iori and Nagi. 

They found Akihiko over by his desk, which wasn’t an unusual sight. They greeted the older man, and he replied happily, as glad as always for the company. “Actually,” Iori started. “We wanted to ask you about something?” 

Akihiko laid the pen he was holding on the desk and gave the boys his undivided attention. “Well, what can I help you with?” He asked. Iori opened his mouth to answer, only to close it again and turn to Riku. “What were we going to ask again?” He asked. 

Riku smiled apologetically and took over for Iori. “Akihiko-san, we wondered if you could tell us anything about the Song of Hathor?” He asked. Akihiko perked up at that. “The Song of Hathor? That’s not something I hear everyday… I’m surprised you know of it.” He admitted. Riku nodded. “Yeah… I only heard about it briefly and got a bit curious is all. Do you know anything about it?” 

Akihiko nodded. “A bit, though I am afraid my knowledge of it is rather limited.” He started. “The Song of Hathor is one of the key compositions of ancient Egyptian music. It is mentioned in a big number of ancient documents, and thus it is one of the few songs that originates from that area and time period that we today know by name.” 

Then, Akihiko looked thoughtful. “However, the actual melody is lost to history. No written record of the notes or the melody exists as far as I know, and even if it was written down, the ancient egyptians didn’t write notes the same way we do. It would undoubtedly be rather difficult to decipher. In other words, no one alive today has ever heard it.” He said. 

Riku frowned. “Nobody knows how it goes?” He asked, sounding troubled. Akihiko shook his head. “I’m afraid so. It’s quite sad, I, as so many others, would have loved to listen to such an iconic piece of music. But there’s nothing to do about that now.” He said, then offered a small smile to Riku. “Did my answers satisfy you?” He asked. 

Riku forced a smile and nodded. “Very much so. Thank you!” He said. Akihiko nodded before going back to his work. Riku, Iori and Nagi then went to collect Sougo and Tamaki, who luckily hadn’t caused too much trouble. They explained what Akihiko had told them as they left, feeling a bit dejected by the news they had been given. They would need to do more research, but all of them felt doubtful. After all, how were they supposed to find the melody to a song that no one alive today had ever heard? 

After school, Sibuna spent their time researching, trying to find the melody to the Song of Hathor. They’d been at it for hours, but no luck. While they had managed to find some more information, like when it was believed to originate from, who composed it and such, they still had no idea how the melody went. All the sources that mentioned the song said nothing of the melody itself. 

It was also a bit hard to stay focused, seeing as the curses kept making things harder. Iori would read something interesting, then forget what he had read before he could tell the others, which meant he had read about three pages in the last hour. Sougo had to hold the book much closer to his face, Riku had offered him his glasses, but they didn’t help. Sougo had also made the mistake of sitting down on the floor. When he needed to get up, he had needed the others to pull him up because he was too stiff to do it on his own. 

The biggest problem however, was Tamaki. At first, he was just easily distracted, but soon he had started making strange noises that were very distracting. After a while, the noises turned into pained groans that made the others a bit concerned. Riku turned to Tamaki with worry in his eyes, only to see his classmate squirming on the bed. “Tamaki, what’s wrong?” He asked. 

Tamaki shook his head. “I don’t know! It feels like growing pains.” He said before going back to groaning and squirming on top of the sheets. 

Nagi sighed and picked up his tablet. “It’s probably part of the curse. Because we had growing pains when we were younger.” The tablet read. Then Nagi added something else. “I’ll go get some painkillers, see if they help.” Riku smiled and nodded. “Thanks Nagi.” He said. 

While Nagi was gone, Riku, Iori and Sougo kept researching. Again, they weren't able to find anything new. Riku sighed and closed his book. “It’s no use! How are we supposed to find a melody that was lost to history thousands of years ago?” He asked in exasperation. 

“Wait a minute…” Sougo said, sitting up straighter as if he had realized something. “That’s impossible…” He mumbled to himself before turning to Riku and Iori. “The Song of Hathor couldn’t be lost to history, because Watanabe Ritsu must have known it! He used it to set the task, after all. He couldn’t have done that if he had never heard the song.” He said. 

Riku’s eyes widened in realization. “And if that’s the case, it’s possible he left records of it lying around the house! Maybe we shouldn’t do research, because that is clearly getting us nowhere. Maybe we need to start searching the house!” He said. 

Iori frowned. “Where would we start though?” He asked. Riku shook his head. “I don’t know, but there has to be an answer somewhere.” He said. Just then, the door opened and Nagi returned, holding a glass of water and some painkillers. Riku smiled in relief, his mind now drifting to Tamaki. 

However, as they turned around to check on him, they found the bed to be empty. Riku frowned. “Tamaki?” He called out. “When did Yotsuba-san leave? Did I forget that too?” Iori asked in concern. Riku shook his head. “No, I also didn’t notice him leaving.” He said, which seemed to relax Iori slightly. 

“Maybe he fell off the bed?” Sougo suggested. Riku nodded, then stood up and leaned over the side of the bed to check if Tamaki had managed to roll off it. What he saw on the floor beside the bed made his eyes widen in shock. “Tamaki… No…” Riku said, quickly making his way around the side of the bed. 

What happened next shocked them all into silence. From the other side of the bed, Tamaki rose to his feet. Only, Tamaki didn’t look quite the same as before. Instead, he now looked like a small child, about six or seven years old. Riku looked from Tamaki to his other friends, his expression extremely troubled. “We need to hurry and find the Song of Hathor quick, because the curse is getting a lot worse quickly.” 

Sighing, Tsukumo collapsed into his chair. He was at his wits end. Ever since he cleared the chemistry task, which he still had not told Vera about, he had not been able to stop thinking about the next one. The satisfaction that came from solving one of the puzzles had been so consuming that the thought of others solving the tasks didn’t even occur to him. 

It was only earlier that day that Tsukumo remembered that he was not the only one making his way through the tunnels. The students would have surely found their way into the new chamber by now, which meant that they were most definitely working on the new task as well. 

This thought annoyed Tsukumo to no end. He felt like now that he had solved a task all by himself, that he was the one who needed to finish this quest. He didn’t want any children meddling with those tunnels. Still, he could not stop them as it was now. All he could do was try to keep fooling them. Solving the tasks while making it look like the kids had done it all by themselves. 

There was only one tiny problem. In order to do that, Tsukumo had to actually be able to solve the latest task first. And as it was now, he had no idea what the new task entailed. Thus why Tsukumo felt like he was at his wits end. 

Then, in one instant, Tsukumo realized that a lot of the Watanabes’ possessions that had previously been stored in the attic had been moved into crates that now stood in the cellar. It was possible that there could be some sort of clue hidden among those objects. 

And so, with newfound motivation, Tsukumo descended into the cellar and started going through the Watanabes’ old things. At first, it seemed fruitless, but then he found something. It was a small, beige, cylindrical box with a hieroglyph on it. The hieroglyph was the one that symbolized the Goddess Hathor, the Goddess of the arts. Tsukumo quickly made the connection and opened the box, revealing a black phonographic cylinder inside. 

Tsukumo recognized this object. Late last term, when he had searched the entire house from top to bottom after having had the kids evacuate because of mice, he had stumbled upon some of these in a hidden room in the attic. Tsukumo had moved them to his office along with the phonograph, the machine you used to play them. Luckily, he still kept it stored away in a corner. 

Delighted by this find, Tsukumo headed back upstairs, the cylinder in hand, and entered his office. He dug out the old phonograph and started preparing it, then he put in the cylinder and pressed play. Soon, the voice of Watanabe Ritsu started coming out of the horn. 

“Welcome. My name is Watanabe Ritsu, professor in archaeology at the XX institute. For the next three hours, I am going to hold a lecture about ancient Egyptian music.” He said. 

Tsukumo smirked, he must have found what he had been looking for. Somewhere on this recording, Ritsu must mention the song that is the key to solving the next task. Now all Tsukumo had to do was to sit through his three hour long lecture, and then he would have his answer. 

The next day, Riku had chosen to stay home from school. He had two reasons for doing this. One, someone needed to look after Tamaki (who claimed he was six years old). And two, he wanted more time to look around the house for any records of the Song of Hathor. So, after convincing Vera that he wasn’t feeling that well, he retreated to his room. 

Also, Riku, Iori, Nagi and Sougo had told the others in Anubis House that Tamaki had left for a few days to visit his sister, who currently lived with their foster family. Also, they had managed to convince young Tamaki to stay hidden in Nagi and Riku’s room unless they told him otherwise. It would be a bit difficult to explain a mini-Tamaki running around the house, after all. 

Right now, Riku was sitting down at his desk, writing down a list of the places they had already searched and places that were likely to hold something that belonged to the Watanabes. Of course, it could be hidden in some hidden compartment like so much else in this house, but Riku thought that if he just carried his locket and kept an eye out, he might as well start by just searching the places he knew of. 

Tamaki had started playing around with the dollhouse. Riku had warned him to be very careful, which Tamaki had promised to be. Still, that dollhouse was too important to break, so Riku kept casting nervous glances his way every other minute. And one time he did this, he found that Tamaki was no longer over by the dollhouse, he stood right behind Riku. 

Riku startled and jumped. Since he had not heard Tamaki coming over, he hadn’t expected him to stand right there. Tamaki didn’t seem bothered by Riku’s startled expression, in fact, he didn’t even seem to notice it. Instead, he peeked over Riku’s shoulder at the notes that lay on the desk. “What’re you doing?” He asked. 

Riku turned around properly and smiled. “I’m just writing a list. It’s easier to organize my thoughts then.” He said. Tamaki frowned. “Booooring! I want to play! Won’t you play with me?” He asked cheerfully, pulling Riku’s arm. 

Riku smiled apologetically, part of him wanted to comply (it was also hard to decline someone so cute), but he also wanted to focus at the task at hand. They needed to solve this next task as quickly as possible so that they could break the curses. “I’m sorry, but I have to finish this right now. I might be able to play a bit with you later.” He said, feeling like that was the best he could offer right now. 

Tamaki pouted. “You’re boring!” He declared. “I want food! I’m going to go and get some food!” He then announced. Riku rose from his desk then and grabbed Tamaki’s hand. “No! I mean… You’re not supposed to leave the room, remember? If you’re really hungry, I can go down and make you a sandwich or something in a few minutes, but-” 

“But I want food now!” Tamaki yelled, stomping on the ground in annoyance. Riku panicked, both Tsukumo and Vera were still in the house. It would be bad if she came and discovered mini-Tamaki. Riku tried his best to hush Tamaki, but in the end, he had to give in. “Fine! I’ll go down and get you something now. Happy?” He asked. 

Tamaki immediately stopped his tantrum and grinned. “Yep!” He said, popping the P. “I want a sandwich with cheese on it! Lots of cheese! And none of those yucky vegetables!” He said, sticking his tongue out and faux-gagged as he said ‘vegetables’. “Oh, and pudding! Can I please have some pudding?” He asked pleadingly. 

Riku sighed. “I’ll make you the sandwich and see if we have some pudding. Don’t blame me if we have run out.” He said before starting to leave. At the door, Riku stopped and turned to Tamaki again. “And remember, you can’t leave while I’m gone.” He reminded. 

Tamaki nodded. “Sure. But why am I not allowed to go out?” He asked. “Because,” Riku started. “Other than me and the three others you saw yesterday, no one in this house knows that you’re here. It’s a secret, okay? So be a good boy, and stay put. Unless you come up with a way to take back a magical amulet off of the grumpy caretaker of this house, then I can’t let you out.” He explained. 

Tamaki’s eyes glimmered in mischievous wonder at that. “A magical amulet? I want to help! Please, let me help! It sounds fun!” He asked, running up and hugging Riku’s midsection, big eyes looking up at him pleadingly. 

Riku knew that he should probably tell Tamaki to let it go, but he had two reasons for what he did next. One, he suspected Tamaki might sneak out on his own if Riku told him to drop the issue now that his interest was piqued. And two, sometimes, a child’s train of thought was exactly what you needed to solve a problem. 

Riku knelt down and grabbed Tamaki’s shoulders, then he gave him a kind smile. “How would you get the magical amulet back?” He asked. Tamaki shrugged. “That depends on where it is. Do you know where it is?” He asked. Riku hummed in thought before answering. “Well, it was taken a while ago by Tsukumo. I think he’s wearing it, but he might take it off and leave it in his office.” He said. 

Tamaki brightened up. “Then we search his office!” He declared. “But Tsukumo is inside his office. We can’t search it of he’s in there, can we?” Riku asked. Then Tamaki grinned smugly. “Leave Tsukumo to me! I am super fast and the best at hiding! I’ll distract him while you search the room!” He said. 

Riku was a bit reluctant to agree to this plan, but he knew that it would make things so much easier if they could only get that amulet back. With that in mind, Riku nodded, agreeing to Tamaki’s plan. 

Soon, Tamaki had put his plan into action, knocking on Tsukumo’s door and then running off. Tsukumo followed, a scowl on his face. Riku didn’t know how much time Tamaki could give him, so he entered the office as soon as he could, determined to make the best of his time. 

Riku started with the drawers, but found nothing. He then searched the top of the desk, which held a lot of notes, some of which were on the chemistry test, confirming once and for all that Tsukumo really had solved it. Riku also saw a whole bunch of documents which appeared to be interpretations of ancient Egyptian texts. Normally, this would interest Riku immensely, but he didn’t have time to make sense of it now. His goal was the amulet. 

Riku kept looking, now searching the shelf. That was where he found a very familiar contraption. The phonograph that he and the others had used to listen to Sara’s diary last term, while searching for the Cup of Ankh. So this was where that had ended up. 

And that wasn’t all. Beside the phonograph stood a cylindrical box, much like the ones that held Sara’s recordings. Only, this one was not one that Riku recognized. And he would know, they went over those recordings and inspected the boxes for hidden clues multiple times. This one was different. 

Riku picked it up and stared wide-eyed at it. At the front was a symbol he recognized from the map of the tunnels, as well as from one of the amulets. It was the symbol for the Goddess Hathor. This was it, this was what they were looking for, the key to the next task. It just had to be. 

However, Riku couldn’t take it now. Tsukumo would undoubtedly noticed that it was missing, and since the only ones who were home beside him (as far as he knew) were Riku and Vera. He would immediately knew it was Riku who had taken it. 

There was only one other option. Riku had to listen to the recording. He fumbled with the machine for a while, getting reacquainted with how it worked, the finally got it started. Riku was only able to listen for about a minute though, which didn’t give him any useful information whatsoever, before Tamaki came running in, telling Riku that Tsukumo was coming back. 

Riku groaned and turned off the machine before following Tamaki back to his room. He doubted they could fool Tsukumo into leaving his office again, meaning Riku now had no other option than to wait for the others to return so that he could tell them about his find. Since there was no point in searching the rest of the house anymore, Riku decided to indulge Tamaki instead. And so, the two of them played together while waiting for the others to return. 

“So, you’re saying that Tsukumo has a recording of the Song of Hathor?” Sougo asked Riku in disbelief. The redhead had just finished telling Iori, Nagi and Sougo about his discoveries during the day. Tamaki was sitting on Riku’s bed, watching a movie on his laptop. At least it made him calm. 

Riku nodded, addressing Sougo’s question. “At least I think so. It had the symbol of Hathor on it, but I only had time to listen to a minute of it. The recording was of a lecture that Watanabe Ritsu held about ancient Egyptian music. If there’s anywhere we could find the melody to the Song of Hathor, I think that’s it.” He said. 

“So, we need a way to get both the recording and the phonograph.” Sougo said. “It’s not precisely small, Tsukumo will notice that it’s missing the moment we take it.” He continued, and Riku nodded in confirmation. “Yeah, that’s the problem. Also, the recording is three hours long. We would never be able to listen to it all before Tsukumo realizes we took it.” He said. 

Iori raised his hand then. “Sorry, but what’s a phonograph?” He asked. Riku smiled apologetically and then explained. “It’s a machine that plays recordings on wax cylinders. It’s basically an old audio-playing device. We used it quite a lot last term.” He said. 

Iori nodded attentively before he started writing something down in a small notebook that he carried with him. Riku raised an eyebrow in question, he had not seen that notebook before. “What’s that?” He asked, pointing to the book in Iori’s hands. 

Iori smiled. “I figured that I should start writing things down. That way, if I feel like I’ve forgotten something important, I can just look through this book.” He explained. Riku smiled brightly at that. “That’s a great idea!” He exclaimed. It was just like Iori to come up with an idea to work against his memory loss, Riku was glad that despite everything, he was still himself. 

“Anyway,” Sougo said then. “We need to come up with a plan on how to get the recording without Tsukumo noticing.” He said. Nagi frowned from where he was sat at his desk, then he started writing. “That will be hard. I feel like getting that recording is not going to be easy.” The robotic voice of his tablet said. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, but we don’t have much of a choice. We need that song.” He said. “Well then,” Sougo started. “Let’s start pitching ideas, shall we?” He asked. The others nodded. But just as they sat down, Nagi’s new robotic voice was heard. “Oh, but Iori? Aren’t you forgetting something again?” 

Iori frowned. “Am I? I mean, it wouldn’t be a surprise, but what is it?” He asked. Nagi smiled and shrugged. “You’re on chores duty. Vera asked you to help hang the laundry.” The tablet said. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “Oh, right.” He said, standing up. “I’ll just… I’ll be right back.” He said, heading over to the door. “Iori!” Riku called out, making him turn around at the last second. “Bring your notebook? You never know.” He said, smiling sheepishly. Iori nodded and held it up, showing that he was bringing it with him. 

On the way down though, Iori spotted something that made him stop in his tracks. In his office was Tsukumo and Vera. The door was open, and they were discussing something. Iori sneaked over and crouched next to the door and out of sight, then he started listening in on what they were saying. 

“On the recording, it said that the Song of Hathor is played using four horns and an ox-bell. I am sure that this is the piece that opens the next door in the tunnels!” Tsukumo said. 

“But didn’t you say that there were only horns down there? If there is no ox-bell, then the task can’t be completed?” Vera asked. 

“Yes, that’s quite right.” Said Tsukumo. “However, we are in luck. There is a old ox-bell being displayed at the Treasures of Egypt exhibition! Now, if there was only a way to get it…” He added. 

“Hmm…” Vera hummed. “Leave that to me. I have a plan.” She then said. 

“A plan? What are you going to do?" Tsukumo asked, concern in his voice. 

“I’m going to steal it. But not to worry, I know what I’m doing. There is going to be an uproar when the staff finds out an exhibit was taken, they are going to be searching for it. So, we give the ox-bell to the children, let them solve the task, then we frame them for the theft. Two birds with one stone.” Vera explained, sounding smug. 

Iori resisted the urge to gasp, instead, he got his notebook out, after all, this was something really important. “Dear Iori, Vera is going to steal an ox-bell from the exhibition. Love, Iori.” He wrote on one of the pages, then he stood up, eager to go back to Riku and Nagi’s room to tell them about what he had heard. 

However, in his hurry, Iori didn’t notice that he dropped the note he had just written, leaving it laying in the corner of the second floor hallway. 

When Iori came back, Riku and the others all looked at him in shock, then they smiled. “That was quick.” Riku said, then he saw the worry on Iori’s face and quickly grew concerned. “What’s wrong?” He asked. 

Iori shook his head. “I… I heard something. And I’m sure it was important, really important! But… I can’t remember what it was.” He admitted, looking down in shame. “Your notebook? Did you write anything down?” Riku asked hopefully. 

“I… I think so.” Iori said before he started looking through the book. “The last note is about the phonograph, but that’s not it, right?” He asked. Riku deflated and shook his head. “No, that was before you left.” He said. Iori cursed under his breath. “I must have forgotten to write it down. I’m sorry.” He said. 

Riku walked up to him and shook his head. “It’s okay, maybe it will come back to you later.” He said, smiling reassuringly before pulling Iori into his arms. Iori returned the embrace and relaxed in his boyfriend’s hold. However, he could not get rid of the feeling of dread. Whatever it was he had forgotten, he was sure it was something really important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! Iori's memory loss really is inconvenient huh... Will Vera go through with her plan? Will Sibuna come up with a way to listen to the Song of Hathor? Find out on Saturday, which is when I'll be back with chapter 34! Thank you so much for reading, and an even bigger thank you if you decide to leave kudos or comments, they mean a lot! <3


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku comes up with a way to listen to the Song of Hathor and Vera finally goes through with her plan to steal the ox-bell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! Please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

As it turns out, coming up with an idea to steal the phonograph without Tsukumo noticing was more than hard. It was near impossible. They spent all night trying to come up with a solution, but in the end, they got nothing. They had to stop because they were all too tired to continue.

Sougo and Iori had gone back to their own rooms, while Tamaki had stayed in Riku and Nagi’s room. They had tried to make him go back to his own bed, but he wouldn’t budge. Turns out, he had grown attached to Riku over the day, and didn’t want to ‘go with the strange boy with amnesia’. In the end, they had allowed him to stay. 

So now, Riku lay in his bed, trying and failing to fall asleep. He had been super tired before, but it was like the moment his head hit the pillow, his mind became more awake than it had been all day. Riku just couldn’t stop thinking. He thought about the curses, about Senkhara, the tunnels, the task, the missing amulet, and the recording. 

Riku knew that they had to get their hands on the melody to the Song of Hathor, and they had to get it soon. Otherwise, Tsukumo would beat them to it. Maybe there was another way to get the melody? Surely, Watanabe Ritsu was not the only one who had heard the song before. How else would it have survived to make it to him? Besides, the man had a lecture about it recorded, surely he must have held that lecture for someone back in the days. 

Still, that didn’t tell Riku who he could possibly ask about it. It was too long ago, even if someone had attended the lecture, they wouldn’t be alive today to tell him about it. With that thought, however, Riku realized something, he did have someone he could ask! He knew someone who must have known the song, because he knew someone who was alive a long time ago, when it would have still been around. Senkhara. 

Riku sat up in his bed, grabbed a hoodie, a flashlight and his locket (because he always brought his locket), and finally a pair of shoes. Then he carefully made his way out of the room as to not wake Tamaki or Nagi, and then downstairs. 

Riku exited the house to make sure that he didn’t wake anyone, and it was only then that he stopped to think about what he was considering. Would it really be a good idea to call Senkhara for help? Sure, she wanted them to clear the task and find the mask, but did she want it bad enough to be willing to help them? Was it really worth the risk? 

Then Riku thought about the phonograph and how difficult it would be for them to get their hands on it long enough to listen to the entire recording. He thought about his friends who had all been cursed because he was feeling stressed out. He thought about Tsukumo, who was surely just about to solve the task. And then he made up his mind. “Senkhara!” 

Riku waited, he got no answer. Determined to ask the spirit, Riku tried again. “Senkhara! I need to speak with you! Show yourself!” He called out, this time with more success. Riku felt a chill in his bones and then Senkhara appeared before him. He got what he wanted, but now she looked very angry. Riku could only hope this would be worth it. 

Senkhara stepped closer, her cold gaze settling on Riku’s face. “Time dwindles for you and your friends. Why do you delay?” She asked, clearly under the impression that this was taking too long. Riku gulped and prepared himself for what he was about to do. “I know. But I called you here because I needed to ask you-” 

“You forget that I am your mistress, boy! I do not serve you!” Senkhara yelled in his face, making Riku involuntarily take a step back. Still, he could not back out now. “But you do want us to finish the task, don’t you? Then I need your help, or Tsukumo will do it before us.” He said. 

Senkhara frowned, but she took a step back. He gaze was no longer filled with animosity, it was still cruel, but mostly in a calculating way. When she said nothing, Riku decided to keep going. “I need to find the melody to the Song of Hathor.” He said. 

Senkhara’s expression filled with disgust. She clearly recognized the name of the song, but something told Riku it wasn’t her favourite. “That poisonous melody?” She asked. Riku nodded. “You’ve heard it then? I need to figure out the melody, or we can’t finish this task! I wouldn’t have bothered you if there was another way to get it.” He said. 

Senkhara scoffed, but soon enough complied. She said nothing, instead she only held out one of her hands, palm up, and a sphere of black smoke appeared. From the sphere, Riku heard music, it was completely mesmerizing, he couldn’t stop looking. The melody was fairly short and easy to remember, which was good, because Senkhara only played it once. 

When it was over, Riku looked up at the spirit in awe. “But that was beautiful. Why is it poisonous?” He asked curiously. Senkhara was in no mood to answer further questions though, as she simply screamed in Riku’s face, and then vanished. 

For a few minutes, Riku stood frozen in place, the shock of what just happened still affected him. It was the cold that pulled him out of it in the end, and he decided to go back inside. But he did so with a lighter mind. He knew the melody to the Song of Hathor, which meant they could do the task. 

The next day, Riku quickly gathered the members of Sibuna so that he could tell them about what he had done. He explained how he realized that Senkhara must know the song, and then how he summoned and asked her. “It was a relatively short piece, but it was beautiful! It was played using five different tones, and the melody was fairly simple, so it should be easy to remember.” He said. 

Iori, who had been flipping through his notebook (which meant he probably forgot something they talked about), now walked up to him, looking troubled. “You summoned the spirit all by yourself? What if she hurt you?! It was very dangerous!” He exclaimed. Riku smiled apologetically. “I knew there were risks, but we needed that song! Otherwise, we can’t lift your curses!” He argued. 

Iori sighed, but pulled Riku into a hug. “I’m not really mad, you just had me worried. Something could have gone very wrong.” He said. Riku returned the embrace and smiled into Iori’s shoulder. “But nothing did go wrong.” He said. Iori nodded and pulled back. 

After that, Riku worked with Sougo to determine just what notes the song consisted off so that they could all learn to play it. Once they had done that, Riku smiled triumphantly. “That’s it! We have the song, which means we can solve the task!” He declared happily. 

Nagi raised an eyebrow in question and wrote on his tablet. “Do you think we should go now?” He asked. Riku nodded. “The sooner we can finish this, the sooner you all can be free of your curses. Let’s go right now.” The others all agreed, they were undoubtedly really tired of the curses affecting them. The only one who stayed behind was Tamaki, who promised not to leave Nagi and Riku’s room. 

Soon, Riku, Iori, Nagi and Sougo had made their way into the chamber with the latest task. Riku looked at the contraption for a second before turning to his friends. “Okay, do you all remember the melody? Even you, Iori?” He asked, giving Iori a serious look. They all nodded, and Iori, to prove himself, started humming the melody. 

Feeling satisfied with that display, Riku led the way to the four horns. They all picked one, and then, on Riku’s command, they started playing. It went well, they took turns blowing the different horns and the melody was forming. Soon, they’d finished the song and took a step back. 

“Was that it?” Iori asked. Riku looked unsure, it had sounded just like what Senkhara had played him, but nothing was happening, which was making him feel a bit uncertain. Then, out of nowhere, the same horrible sound they had heard last time started playing, followed by the room starting to shake. 

The four boys quickly made their way out of the room, just in case the ceiling collapsed. The sound soon stopped, and they were all relieved to see that the ceiling had not collapsed. However, there were a lot of really big cracks in the ceiling. “The next time that sound starts to play, the ceiling won’t hold up. Meaning we only have one more try.” Sougo observed. 

Riku shook his head. “I don’t understand what went wrong! It sounded right! Just like how Senkhara played it to me!” He exclaimed. Riku started doubting himself, what if he had remembered it wrong? Maybe this was all his fault and he had now blown the best chance they would get by remembering the melody wrong. 

Iori noticed and walked up to him. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. It wasn’t your fault. You risked a lot to get that melody.” He said. Riku was about to answer, but Sougo beat him to it. “Wait, didn’t you say that the song was played using five tones? Then why are there only four horns?” He asked. 

That got all of their attention as they turned around to inspect the pipe with the horns on it. “You’re right…” Riku said, then he noticed the small hook under the horns. He pointed at it. “Look! We’re missing an instrument!” He said. “There was a note that sounded really different, kind of metallic, at the very end! That’s what we’re missing!” He exclaimed. 

“Do you know what instrument we’re missing?” Iori asked. Riku shook his head. “No…” He admitted. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to keep looking then. We’ve got the melody, so as soon as we have this fifth instrument, we can finish the task.” Sougo said, making Riku smile and nod. 

“If it’s any help,” Iori started. “I could head over to the Watanabe Library later. See if Akihiko-san knows anything about a fifth instrument.” He offered. Riku brightened up even more at that and nodded enthusiastically. “That’s a good idea. We’ll just have to keep looking!” He said. And with that, they left the tunnels. 

As Vera approached the Watanabe Library, she was not shocked to find it locked. She had seen Akihiko and Tsumugi leave some ten minutes ago, so it made sense that the place would be locked up, what with all the priceless artifacts being kept there and all. 

However, the locked door proved to be but a small inconvenience for Vera, as she had managed to pick the lock and open the door within just a few minutes. She found herself glad as she recalled how the building had been very incompatible with security systems, meaning there were no cameras. There was an alarm that would go off if a display case was damaged or moved, but with Akihiko and Tsumugi gone, it would be at least ten minutes before anyone would come to check it out. 

So, Vera carefully made her way through the exhibits until she found the one she was looking for. The ox-bell. Vera didn’t waste any time as she grabbed her shoe and quickly hit the class. It only took one hit and she had created a hole big enough to get the ox-bell out. She knew that the alarm had gone off the moment she broke it, but she didn’t plan to linger. 

Vera stuffed the ox-bell into her bag, and then she quickly left the Watanabe Library behind, not even bothering to close the door properly. She felt really good about herself. Since there were no cameras to take her pictures, and she had been sure to wear gloves as to not leave fingerprints, she was sure that no one could pin the theft on her. Now all she had to do was show the ox-bell to Tsukumo and then plant it with the kids. Once they had completed the task for them, she would make sure the ox-bell was found and the students blamed. 

When Iori reached the Watanabe Library he was surprised to see that one, the lights were off, and two, that despite this the door was open. He frowned and entered the library, which appeared to be empty. But then, why was the door open? As he kept looking around, he soon saw something that he knew was really bad. One of the display cases was broken. 

Iori walked up to it and saw that whatever had been inside was no longer there. He reached up and touched his finger to some of the glass, it had clearly been broken deliberately. Just then, the door to the library was thrown open and in came Akihiko and Tsumugi both out of breath. “Iori?! What are you doing?!” Tsumugi asked, shocked to see him there. 

Iori didn’t say anything, he just turned around and watched as the two adults came over to him. Tsumugi gasped at the display case while Akihiko mostly looked troubled. “Iori… please tell me you didn’t do this.” Tsumugi said, looking up at Iori. 

Iori’s eyes grew wide. “What? I would never do this! I just arrived and saw it like this! At least, I think I just arrived…” He said, troubled by the fact that his memory was becoming more and more hazy by the minute. Why had he come here to the library again? How long had he been here? 

Tsumugi reached out and grabbed Iori’s arm, making him flinch. “What were you doing here anyway?” She asked. Iori shook his head. “I… I can’t remember. I’m sorry.” He said. Tsumugi sighed. “You know, saying you can’t remember isn’t very reassuring.” She said. 

“There, there, calm down Tsumugi. Iori would never steal this, it’s just not like him.” Akihiko said, forcing a smile on his face to both Iori and Tsumugi. Then Iori held out his bag. “Here, you can check my bag. If whatever was stolen is in there, then I’ll give it back and apologize. But I don’t think it’s in there… I honestly can’t remember much though.” He said. 

Tsumugi and Akihiko looked at one another in concern, probably thinking it was weird that Iori conveniently couldn’t remember anything. Akihiko sighed but complied, if only to clear Iori’s name. The older man visibly relaxed when he found nothing. He handed the bag back to Iori. “It’s okay, the ox-bell isn’t in there.” He said. 

Iori’s eyes widened. _‘An ox-bell?’_ He thought. With that, he recalled the reason why he had come there, to ask about the fifth instrument in the Song of Hathor. Could this be it? Had someone stolen it to use for the task? With that, Iori realized he should get back to the house and tell the others about it. 

“Sorry, but I should really be getting back. I really hope you find the ox-bell!” He said, running away before Tsumugi or Akihiko could tell him otherwise. He pulled out his notebook on the way, writing down that an ox-bell had been stolen from the exhibition, just to make sure he wouldn’t forget all about it. 

Back in the library, Akihiko went off to make some calls. Meanwhile, Tsumugi inspected the broken display case. Just like Akihiko, she didn’t want to believe that Iori was capable of something like this, but she didn’t know what else to think after they found him in there upon their return. 

Then Tsumugi noticed something. A small piece of pink fabric had gotten stuck on some of the broken glass. And not only that, there was a little bit of blood on it. Whoever had taken the ox-bell must have cut themselves on the glass in their hurry. Iori hadn’t been wearing anything pink, which meant that it couldn’t have been him. And maybe it was a bit uncalled for, but Tsumugi already had a suspicion as to who the bloody piece of fabric belonged to. 

Once she was back at the house, Vera made her way up to Tsukumo’s office. She knocked, then entered, a triumphant smile on her face. “From your expression, I’m guessing you were successful?” Tsukumo asked. 

Vera closed the door behind her and joined him before nodding and taking out the ox-bell. “Here it is, our ancient Egyptian ox-bell. Just like I said.” She said, setting the instrument down on the desk. Tsukumo looked at it in wonder, taking in the artifact. “This looks authentic… It’s not just a replica, is it?” He asked. 

Vera shook her head. “That’s right, it’s the real deal. Which is probably for the best. It’s possible a fake wouldn’t work for the task, don’t you think?” She speculated, and Tsukumo nodded in reply. “That’s true.” He agreed. 

Tsukumo then looked up at Vera, his formerly pleased expression now filled with concern. “No one saw you, right? There is nothing that can link you to the theft? This is serious, if you get caught, you will most likely go to jail.” He said. 

Vera, who had initially tensed up at Tsukumo’s concern, now relaxed and smiled at him. She reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “Thank you for worrying, but I assure you, there is nothing to connect me to the theft.” She said. This statement made Tsukumo calm down immediately. “Good.” He said. 

“Now then…” Vera said, taking back the ox-bell and putting it in her bag again. “I’ll be taking this back to my room for now, and soon, I’ll place it somewhere the children will find it. Then, once we are sure they have completed the task, we will accuse them of stealing it in the first place.” She said. Tsukumo nodded. “That sounds perfect.” 

Riku and Nagi had been gone for about half an hour, and yet, the scene that awaited them when they returned to their room was way different than before they left. They had left to eat dinner with the rest, and afterwards they were bringing food back. Iori hadn’t gotten back yet, and Sougo had decided to stay and look after Tamaki. 

However, even though they had only been gone a short while, a lot had changed in the few minutes they were gone. In fact, Nagi almost dropped the plate with the food on it at the sight. Tamaki had fallen asleep on the couch, but that wasn’t the shocking part. In Nagi’s bed sat Sougo, only he no longer had only a few gray hairs and some wrinkles around his eyes and cheeks. He looked like he had aged about sixty years. 

“Sougo-san… You’re…” Riku started, though he wasn’t exactly sure what he had been meaning to say. Sougo sighed. “Is it that bad?” He asked, after which Nagi put down the plate of food and held up a mirror. Sougo’s shoulders slumped as he watched himself in the mirror. “Oh god… I could feel myself changing, but I didn’t realize it was this bad.” He said. 

Riku gulped. “It’s getting worse again. We need to figure out the fifth instrument quick.” He said. Nagi nodded and pulled out his tablet. “Instead of just waiting for Iori to get back, we should do some research of our own.” He wrote down. Riku nodded in agreement and Sougo asked for them to give him some books. He didn’t feel like leaving the bed. 

As they sat there, skimming through books and articles online about the Song of Hathor, ancient Egyptian music and instruments, and the like, they were also talking. Nagi and Riku were already hiding mini-Tamaki in their room, and now it seemed like they would have to hide Sougo as well. Before, he had been able to hide his new looks with makeup, hats and sunglasses, but that clearly wouldn’t work anymore. Also, he didn’t have much energy and was not keen on the idea of leaving Nagi’s bed more than necessary. 

In the end, they had put an extra mattress on the ground that Nagi would use while Sougo and Tamaki shared Nagi’s bed. Soon, Sougo sighed. “Being old when you weren’t prepared for everything that would mean, or given time to adjust, is hard. And not very fun.” Sougo said. 

Riku and Nagi gave him sympathetic smiles, though they really had no idea how it was. “That’s why we have to find the missing instrument as soon as possible. To end these curses.” Riku declared, and then they went back to their research. It was only a few minutes later that Riku found something. “Guys! Guys, I found something!” He exclaimed so loudly that he accidentally woke Tamaki. Sougo pulled Tamaki to him and tried to get him to fall back asleep before turning to Riku. “Is it the fifth instrument?” He asked. 

Riku shook his head. “No, and I don’t think it’s necessary for the task, but it’s still interesting. It’s the lyrics to the Song of Hathor!” He said. Nagi frowned. “It has lyrics?” He wrote on his tablet. “Apparently.” Riku responded with a shrug before turning serious. “And that’s not all. Listen to this.” He said, then he cleared his throat and started reading the lyrics to the song out loud. 

“Egypt mourns Tutankhamun/ Killed by stepmother’s knife/ The Song of Hathor shall declare/ Senkhara took his life.” 

As Riku finished reading, the room grew silent. All of them were shocked to say the least about this revelation. “Wait…” Sougo said, finally breaking the silence. “So, the same spirit who cursed us is also the one who killed Tutankhamun? As in, _the_ Tutankhamon? Pharao of Egypt, in whose tomb the Cup of Ankh was hidden for millennia?” 

Riku’s expression was grim as he nodded. “I guess… Though, it’s not as if this proves anything, but if this song is accurate, then yeah. Senkhara, our spirit friend, is the one who killed King Tut.” He said. 

From the other end of the room came the robotic voice of Nagi’s tablet. “Isn’t that kind of a big deal?” He asked. Riku shrugged. “I don’t know. It doesn’t change what we have to do, we still need to find the mask, but… It does make you wonder. What does Senkhara want with it?” He asked. 

Right then, before anyone could give Riku a response, the door flew open and in came a panting Iori. “Iori? Is everything okay?” Riku asked and he shot to his feet and walked over to Iori. Iori closed the door behind him and then approached Riku. “No… Yes… I don’t know.” He said, which confused the others further. 

“Something really bad happened.” Iori said then, looking up at the others. Riku grabbed his hand and tried to reassure him. “What happened? Can you try to explain?” He asked. Iori shook his head. “I don’t…” He started, and it became clear that he had forgotten whatever it was. That was when Iori noticed Sougo, he frowned and pointed. 

Riku shook his head, simply explained it as, “Curse is getting worse.” and then gave Iori a serious look. “But Iori, I need you to remember what happened. It clearly shook you. Did you write anything down?” He asked. 

For a second, Iori looked nothing but confused, the he recalled his notebook. “Right! Let me see…” He said, pulling the small notebook out of his pocket and started flipping through it. As he did that, it all started coming back to him. “Oh.” He said, as he remembered it all. “What?” Riku asked impatiently. 

Iori turned to Riku, his expression serious. “There was a theft down at the exhibition. Someone stole an old egyptian ox-bell.” He explained. Riku’s eyes widened and Sougo and Nagi looked equally shocked. “Someone stole it?” Nagi asked using his tablet. 

Iori nodded. “Also, I might be the prime suspect…” He then admitted, making the others even more surprised. “What? Why?” Riku asked. “Because I was the only person at the scene of the crime when Akihiko-san and Tsumugi-san came back!” Iori exclaimed. 

Riku calmed down and then grabbed Iori’s face with both hands, making him look him in the eyes. “I don’t think you would do something like that, but Iori, tell me, did you steal it?” He asked. Iori shook his head, or at least tried to with Riku still holding onto it. “That’s the thing, I don’t remember! I have no idea if the theft had already happened when I got there or how long I was there before Akihiko-san arrived!” He said. 

Riku sighed. “Iori, you didn’t steal anything.” Riku said confidently, giving Iori his best smile. “How can you be so sure?” Iori asked. “Because,” Riku started. “I know you. You’re not the type who would steal anything. Also, if you did steal it, then where is it? You don’t have it, conclusion, somebody else stole it.” He argued. 

Iori nodded, but he did not look fully convinced yet. “But… I’ve been thinking. What if the ox-bell is the instrument we need for the task? What if I figured it out and stole it to lift the curses and then forgot all about it because of the same curse we’re trying to lift?” He asked. 

Riku was left speechless after that. “The ox-bell might be the instrument we need…” Sougo repeated from the bed, which pulled Riku out of his stupor. “If that’s the case, then I’m even more convinced that you didn’t steal it. It must be Tsukumo, he probably figured out he needed a fifth instrument as well.” Riku said. 

Iori frowned. “But then… Isn’t he solving the task?” He asked. Riku sighed. “We’ll have to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t enter the tunnels. Then we’ll just have to take the ox-bell back, use it for the task, then return it. Simple as that.” He said. 

From the other end of the room, Nagi used his tablet again. He wrote, “I’m not so sure about simple, but that’s what we’ll have to do.” However, only the first part came out, as his tablet died. Nagi frowned, he was sure he had charged it recently. He shrugged though and took up his phone instead to finish the sentence. Only, his phone died before the device could get out more than two words. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “Here, use mine. It’s got 90%.” He said and threw Nagi his phone. Nagi smiled and nodded, then started writing. However, Riku’s phone died as well, which was really strange. Then, in the black screen, a familiar face appeared. Nagi frantically showed the others how Senkhara was laughing at them in the device. 

Riku took his phone back, and the moment he did, Senkhara vanished and the device started working again. All eyes turned to Nagi now, and it was Riku who spoke. “She’s cutting off your other means of communication. It’s her way of making your curse worse.” He declared, which entirely ruined Nagi’s mood. “We really need to hurry up and solve this task.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The curses are getting worse, how much more time do they have? I'll be back on MONDAY to see what they will do next, so look forward to that! Also, if you're curious as to what the Song of Hathor sounds like, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHmy40Vitc8  
> Thank you for reading and for leaving comments and kudos! <3


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The curses keep getting worse and Sibuna are running out of time. Will they be able to clear the task before it's too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Just like I said, starting this wek I'll be posting 3 chapters a week instead of 2. I'll be posting every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday until this story is finished! Anyway, please enjoy this new update ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that on Twitter: @EFagerhag

When Riku woke up the next morning, it took him a while to register that something was wrong. But after a minute of just sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he noticed that their overfull room was looking a bit less full than it had last night. On the floor by Riku’s bed, Nagi was still sleeping soundly, and Sougo was still snoring away (another habit they believed he had picked up due to the curse) in Nagi’s bed. However, Tamaki was nowhere to be seen.

Riku argued that maybe he had gone up to use the bathroom, the one and only reason he was allowed to leave the room. Riku waited a whole five minutes for Tamaki to come stumbling back inside, but nothing happened. So, he stood up and walked over to the bathroom, only to find it both open and empty. No sign of Tamaki anywhere. 

Riku walked back in the room and decided to wake up Nagi and Sougo. Once they were awake enough to fully comprehend the situation, Riku explained how he couldn’t find Tamaki anywhere. They were both clearly worried, but Sougo was in no state to leave his bed. Nagi seemed to get an idea, but even when using his oldschool pen and paper, it all came out unlegible. 

Riku sighed and was just about to leave and check a few other places in the house, such as the kitchen, the downstairs bathroom, and Iori and Tamaki’s bedroom. However, that was when there was a sound coming from inside the wardrobe next to Nagi’s bed, as if someone had moved around inside and hit the door. 

Riku gave Nagi and Sougo a questioning look before slowly walking over to the wardrobe. He opened the door only to stare down at something that made him both relieved and really worried. Inside was Tamaki, so at least that mystery was solved, but he was no longer seven years old, he was a baby. Riku couldn’t believe what he saw, Tamaki couldn’t be more than a year old, if even that. 

Reaching into the wardrobe, Riku grabbed Tamaki under the armpits and lifted him up, placing him on his hip as he turned around and showed Sougo and Nagi what he had found. They both gaped in shock at seeing Tamaki’s current state. “He’s… a baby?” Sougo asked in shock. 

Riku nodded. “The curse got worse again.” He said. Nagi reached out and took Tamaki from Riku. Baby Tamaki only seemed delighted to be held and started laughing. At least he wasn’t screaming, which definitely would have attracted Tsukumo. Nagi started rocking Tamaki then, gushing at how cute he was. In return, Tamaki burped and vomited all over Nagi’s shirt. 

Despite the situation, Riku and Sougo couldn’t hold themselves back from laughing at Nagi’s shocked and betrayed expression. Nagi handed Tamaki back to Riku and left to see if he could get the baby puke off his shirt, thus heading for the bathroom. 

Riku turned to look at Sougo then, only to find that the smile had completely melted away, giving way to a troubled expression. “Sougo-san, what’s wrong?” Riku asked. Sougo shook his head. “It’s just… with the curses getting worse for all of us, I can’t help but think... If Tamaki-kun can change into a baby, then what’s going to happen to me?” He asked. 

Riku understood his concerns, and even if he himself was worried, he tried to reassure Sougo. However, he didn’t get much of a chance to as the door was opened. They had both expected Nagi to return, but instead there was Iori, looking equally troubled. 

After waking up that morning, Iori had an urge to go see how the others were doing, and so he had quickly headed upstairs. On his way, however, he had seen something that caught his eye. On the ground in one of the corners of the hallway there was a small note. Recognizing the paper as the same one from his notebook, Iori figured it was one of his many notes and picked it up. And it was. 

“Dear Iori, Vera is going to steal an ox-bell from the exhibition. Love, Iori.” the note said. Iori was shocked to say the least. He must have dropped this note somewhere, which was typical, because the contents seemed really important. So, without another thought, he had headed over to Nagi and Riku’s bedroom. 

“Iori, what’s wrong?” Riku asked in concern as he took in Iori’s bewildered state, but Iori was too shocked to answer, considering there was a small baby perched on Riku’s hip. Iori pointed at it. “What?” He asked, but he didn’t need to clarify it further. Riku sighed. “It’s Tamaki. His curse got worse and he shrunk.” He explained. 

Before Iori could comment on it, the door opened again and in came Nagi, carrying his dirty shirt in hand. “What happened?” Iori asked, pointing at the shirt in Nagi’s hand. Nagi shrugged and Sougo answered for him. “Baby puke.” He said. “Oh.” Iori said and took a step away from Nagi. 

“So, Iori, why did you come here so early?” Riku asked again as he put Tamaki down on Nagi’s bed next to Sougo. Realization dawned on Iori as he quickly pulled out the note and handed it to Riku. “I found this on the floor, I must have dropped it and then forgot about it.” He said. 

Riku took the note and read it, his eyes widening. “See? I told you it wasn’t you who stole it! But Vera? Why would she do it? Do you remember anything else, Iori?” Riku asked, looking up at his boyfriend expectantly. However, when he did so, he found Iori to look at him strangely. He looked confused and disoriented. At first, Riku thought he was just struggling to remember more about the strange note, but it turned out to be way worse than that. 

Looking around the room, Iori seemed not only confused, but also a bit alarmed. “What’s going on here? Who are you people?” He asked. Riku shook his head in disbelief. “Iori…” He said, making sure Iori looked at him. “It’s me, Riku. Don’t you remember?” He asked, still holding onto a tiny hope that maybe it hadn’t come to this. 

Iori opened his mouth to reply, then closed it and shook his head. “Should I? I’m really sorry, I think I should leave.” He said. And that is when Riku’s heart broke. Iori had forgotten a lot of important things, the quest, the spirit, things that happened, but Riku never thought he would actually forget him. He knew it was unfair because Iori couldn’t help it, but Riku was still upset with him. 

WIthout another word, Iori started leaving the room again. Riku reached out for his hand but Iori shook him off. “I’m sorry, I really don’t know you.” He said, and then he left, leaving Riku standing there, tears in his eyes as he watched Iori walk away. 

Then Riku tried to collect himself. He shook his head and dried his eyes, and then, with a determined expression on his face, he chased after Iori. There was a lot of things Riku was willing to give up for this quest, but he was not losing Iori, not like this. 

The sun still wasn’t fully up by the time Tsumugi arrived at the Watanabe Library. Ever since the theft yesterday, she and Akihiko had been more busy than ever, which was also why she had come in to work earlier than usual today. It was no surprise to see that Akihiko had arrived ahead of her, opening the exhibition up. 

Tsumugi entered and saw the older man over by the now empty display case. Yesterday, they’d had a new piece of glass arrive, so there was no longer anything broken. But the empty case was depressing enough, a constant reminder of yesterday’s incident. 

Tsumugi walked up to Akihiko and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll get it back.” She said. Akihiko sighed. “I sure hope so. If we don’t get it back before it’s time to ship this exhibition on to the next place, then I’ll have a huge fee to pay and will most likely never be allowed to work in this line of work again.” He said. 

Hearing the way Akihiko talked about what had happened, how down he sounded about the entire thing, made Tsumugi feel a bit guilty herself. She had not shared what she found yesterday with him, or anyone for that matter. She had a suspicion as to who the thief was, but what she had to go on wasn’t exactly groundbreaking proof. She couldn’t just go and accuse people with what little she had. Still, she felt obligated to tell someone at least. 

“Actually…” Tsumugi started, pulling out the small piece of bloody fabric that she kept on her, wrapped in a napkin. “I found this yesterday. Whoever took the ox-bell cut themselves on the glass.” She explained. Akihiko’s eyes widened as he stared down at what Tsumugi held. 

Tsumugi kept going. “And I think I might know who did it.” She said. This really got Akihiko’s attention. “What? Who?” He asked. Tsumugi leaned in closer. “I think it might have been Vera. I saw her quickly yesterday, and she was wearing a pink cardigan. Sure, I couldn’t confirm whether it had a torn, but I think we should ask her about it.” She declared. 

Akihiko’s eyes grew wide, and for a second it looked like he believed her, almost as if he realized how everything had gone down. But then Akihiko schooled his expression and gave Tsumugi a smile. “Well, thank you for sharing your ideas, and I’ll be sure to look into the piece of fabric. However, I really think it’s a stretch to assume Vera is the one who did it.” He said. 

Tsumugi stared up at Akihiko, a strong feeling that he was lying. She had seen Vera threaten him before, it was possible that he knew she had taken the ox-bell and was covering for her. “But-” Tsumugi started to argue, but Akihiko interrupted her. “Tsumugi, please! I am as certain of Vera’s innocence as I was of Iori’s. Now drop the issue!” He said before walking off to finish some paperwork. 

Tsumugi sighed. Akihiko had not convinced her of Vera’s innocence, but she figured it best not to take this issue up with him again. If she wanted answers, she would simply have to get them herself. It was time to go check on the new housemother. 

Vera had been relieved as she saw Iori leave his bedroom early that morning. After all, the time to place the ox-bell somewhere they would find it had come, and after some thinking, her and Tsukumo had decided to leave it in Iori and Tamaki’s room. 

Vera had not exactly been nervous about keeping the stolen artefact in her own room, after all, she was certain that she had left the library without leaving any trace that she had been there. However, it would be a lie if she denied that leaving it with the children was a load off her mind. 

And so, once she was certain that Iori and Tamaki’s bedroom was empty, she sneaked inside and placed the ox-bell on top of Iori’s bed. Breathing a sigh of relief, Vera left the room. Now all they had to do was wait. 

“Iori! Iori, wait!” Riku called out as he followed after Iori, who in turn hurried down the stairs. He didn’t reply, but he didn’t try to stop Riku either, he just kept walking. Iori entered his own room and closed the door behind him. Then he wondered why he had decided to go into that specific room. It had been an instinct more than anything. 

A few seconds later, Riku came storming into the room, his tears now dangerously close to falling. “Iori… Please listen to me. It’s okay that you don’t remember, it’s not your fault. But please, hear me out.” Riku practically begged. He wanted nothing more than to walk up and grab Iori, hug him, just be close to him. But with how wary Iori seemed right now, Riku figured it was best to keep a little distance. 

Iori glanced around the room, but he was unsure what he was looking for. Everytime, he found his gaze returning to Riku, who still stood there, waiting for an answer. In the end, Iori nodded, allowing Riku to try and explain. 

Riku almost started sobbing from relief once Iori gave him permission to go on. Instead, he forced a smile on his face and nodded. “Right… It’s a long and complicated story, but I promise, it’s all true. I would never lie to you.” Riku started. 

Iori still looked a bit uncertain, but nodded nonetheless. “What happened to me? Why can I barely remember anything?” He asked, sounding upset. Riku sighed. “You lost your memory. Actually, you have been losing your memory for a while, but it was never this bad before. And-” Riku started to explain, but then he cut himself off as he noticed something. 

Riku’s eyes had drifted over Iori’s bed and saw that beside his pillow, there lay and old ox-bell. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that it was the ox-bell that had been stolen from the exhibition. But what was it doing in Iori’s room? According to the note Iori had written, Vera had been the one who stole it. 

Iori seemed to have noticed that Riku had trailed off. “Hello? What’s going on?” He asked, feeling more confused than ever. Riku ignored him in favor of grabbing the ox-bell. Once he had it, and had made sure it was the real thing, Riku turned back to Iori, looking determined. “I’m sorry, Iori, but your explanation is going to have to wait. We’re going to get your memory back and make all this right.” He said. 

Iori was still confused and was just about to ask more questions when Riku grabbed his hand and started dragging him along. Iori didn’t resist, but he most likely would not have followed unless Riku dragged him. They made their way up the stairs and back into Riku’s bedroom. 

When they entered, Nagi and Sougo initially looked happy that Riku had managed to bring Iori back with him, then they noticed the ox-bell in Riku’s hand. They didn’t have to ask, Riku simply started talking. “This was laying on Iori’s bed. I don’t know how it got there, but frankly, I don’t care. We have the fifth instrument and the correct melody now, we need to complete the task and get rid of these curses as soon as possible!” He exclaimed. 

Nagi stood up and nodded, he was fully on board with finishing this task now. Sougo looked a bit more uncertain. “You go do it without me.” He said, which initially surprised Riku and Nagi. But when Sougo explained his motivation, they understood. “I really don’t think I’ll be much good like this. Just imagining walking over that drop, for example… Besides, someone has to stay and look after Tamaki-kun.” He said. 

Nagi and Riku nodded. “That’s fine. We should be able to do it with just three people.” Riku said. “Wait, do what? What is going on?” Iori asked. Riku turned around quickly, for a second, he had forgotten all about Iori, but now his full attention was on him again. 

“Iori, I know this must be confusing and scary, but we need your help. I need you to come with me and Nagi to a place and play a song. If we do that, your memory will come back. Please, I need you to trust me.” Riku said, putting all his feelings for Iori into every word. 

Iori gulped. “I… I don’t know who you are, or what is happening. But… I do know that I trust you, with all my life.” He said, and it was clear from his voice alone that he meant every word of it. 

Riku smiled and nodded, he felt like he was about to cry, but that would have to wait. He then turned to Sougo again. “We’ll be back soon.” He said, and Sougo nodded in reply. And then, Nagi, Riku and Iori started making their way into the tunnels. It was time to lift these curses once and for all. 

When Riku, Iori and Nagi reached the chamber of Hathor, they were relieved to see that the ceiling had yet to collapse, and that no door had been opened. That meant that Tsukumo had not been down there to solve the task before them. They wasted no time in walking up to the contraption with the horns and hung the ox-bell on the hook beneath them. 

“So, there are four horns, and only three of us.” Riku observed. “I’ll take the two in the middle, Nagi, you take the one to the left and Iori takes the one to the right.” He said. Nagi nodded, but Iori looked more unsure. “What-” He started, but Riku interrupted him. “It’s okay, trust me. All you have to do is to blow in your horn every time I squeeze your hand, okay? Do you understand?” He asked. 

As if to demonstrate, Riku squeezed Iori’s hand once, hard. They had been holding hands ever since leaving, partly because Iori wouldn’t remember anything about the tunnels and might leave by himself, and partly because Riku felt better having him close. Now Iori looked down on their clasped hands, then back up at Riku, and nodded. “I just have to blow every time you squeeze my hand?” He asked. 

Riku smiled at him and nodded. “Yes.” Then he turned to Nagi again. “Can I leave the ox-bell to you as well, since I will have a lot with the two horns? You only need to hit it once, at the very end. So, after I play the final tone, you hit the bell once, got it?” He asked. 

Nagi nodded, a determined look on his face, and then grabbed the handle of the ox-bell as a way of showing he would do it. Riku took a deep breath, then stepped up to the horns. “Okay, here goes nothing. Remember, we most likely only have this one time to do it right, so just follow my lead.” He said. 

Riku blew the first tone, meaning there was no way back. If they messed up, the ceiling would collapse, and even if they made it out then, the path would be blocked forever and the curses that plagued them would never go away. 

It was a while until it was time for Iori to blow into his horn, Riku had purposefully given Iori the horn that would be blown the least amount of times in hope of minimizing the risk of failure. When the time had come, Riku made sure to squeeze hard, making a mental not to apologize to Iori later for crushing his hand time and time again. 

Iori blew just as Riku squeezed, and everything seemed to work just fine. They kept playing the song and soon the only thing left was to hit the ox-bell. Nagi did it, thus ending the song. All three took a step back from the horns and watched in anticipation, praying to whoever they could think of that they had been correct. 

Soon, there was a rumbling sound, but it was unlike the one that had played when they got it wrong. And then, to all of their delight, a new doorway opened up, revealing a new passage. Riku screamed out in a cheer and started jumping around, he was so happy and relieved that they had done it. Then he remembered about the curses and turned to Iori and Nagi. “Well? Did it work?” He asked. 

Nagi opened his mouth, but no sound came out, making Riku tense up. Had they done something wrong? Had they missed something? Why weren’t the curses lifting? But then, Nagi coughed a few times before giving Riku a crooked grin. “We did it.” He said, though his voice sounded hoarser than Riku had ever heard before. The days of not using it must have left him so hoarse. 

Riku smiled and turned to Iori, a hopeful look on his face. Before Riku could ask Iori if his memory was back, the raven-haired boy stepped forward and swept Riku up in an embrace that practically lifted the redhead off his feet. Iori proceeded to spin them around while Riku laughed and just wrapped his arms tightly around Iori’s shoulder. 

When Iori put him down and relaxed his grip, Riku pulled back slightly and used his hands to caress Iori’s face. Iori smiled and leaned his forehead against Riku’s own. “Your name is Nanase Riku and you are my boyfriend. My brilliant boyfriend who managed to solve this task while all of us were cursed.” Iori declared, showing that he remembered everything. 

Riku laughed again, this time in relief. “Your memory is back. It’s really back.” He said. Iori nodded. “Yes. I’m so sorry, I’ll never forget you again.” He said then, but it no longer mattered to Riku. “You have nothing to apologize for.” Riku said before finally leaning in and closing the distance between them. 

Iori and Riku kissed for what felt like forever until Nagi cleared his throat behind them, thus making them pull apart. “I hate to interrupt, but I think we have other things to do, yeah?” He asked with a smirk on his lips. Iori flushed and Riku laughed self-consciously. “Right…” He said, looking down the new passage. 

Riku frowned then. “I think we should go back. I want to check on Sougo-san and Tamaki before we keep going through the tunnels. We can come back later today.” He said. Nagi and Iori nodded, they both thought the same thing. And so, free of curses, the three friends left the tunnels. 

Riku, Iori and Nagi hurried to get back upstairs to check on Sougo and Tamaki, to ensure themselves that the curse really had been lifted from all of them. When they reached Nagi and Riku’s bedroom, they found Sougo inside. He sitting on the bed with their back to them, though he turned around when he heard the door open. 

Much to all of their delight, Sougo looked just like he normally did, no more wrinkles, no more gray hair. Sougo was grinning from ear to ear as he greeted them now that they were back. “You guys did it! The curses are gone!” He exclaimed. Riku smiled and nodded. “Yes! All of them other than the first one.” He said, bringing a hand to his arm where the mark of Anubis was. 

“What about the the tunnels? Did you have time to check out the new chamber?” Sougo asked then, getting them back on track. Riku smiled and shook his head. “No, we didn’t go any further after we cleared the test. We wanted to check on you guys, make sure the curses were all lifted. We figured we could go back and check it out once we get back from school?” He suggested. 

Sougo nodded. “Speaking of…” Nagi said then, and for a moment, the sound of his voice had surprised Sougo. After all, it had been a few days since he had heard Nagi say anything. “Where is Tamaki? He’s not still a baby, right?” He asked, which also led Riku and Iori to take in the fact that their classmate was indeed missing. 

Sougo laughed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Well… When the curse lifted and Tamaki-kun turned back, he sort of… outgrew his clothes. He went back to his room to get some new ones.” He explained, which made the others laugh as they imagined a naked Tamaki sneaking down to his and Iori’s room without being seen. 

Right then, the door opened and in came Tamaki. “Hey, you guys are back!” He said, wrapping one arm around Iori’s shoulders and the other around Riku’s. “It’s so nice to finally see the world from up here again! It was so strange to be so small!” He then said. 

Riku smiled, it was nice to see Tamaki being back to his usual self again. It was only now that he had seen for himself that they were all back to normal that he was able to relax. 

“Actually, there’s one more thing we have to do before we can move on.” Iori said then, gaining all of their attention. Iori held up the ox-bell. “This needs to be taken back to the exhibition.” He said. 

“That’s true… But how would we do that?” Riku asked. That was when Nagi reached out and took the ox-bell right out of Iori’s hold. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll get it back. I’ll just swing by before school today and return it. No one will see me, and then it will be case closed.” He said. 

“Are you sure? Maybe someone else should go too?” Iori asked, but Nagi only smiled and shook his head. “No, for what I have in mind, it will be better if I do this on my own. You guys go ahead, I’ll meet you back at school.” He said. The others nodded, thus agreeing to that plan. Then, they got ready to head out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they managed to break the curses! Now they can finally move on! Now they just have to get the ox-bell back without anyone finding out... Will they succeed? Fin out on Wednesday, when I'll be back with the next chapter! Until thin, thank you for reading, and also if you left kudos or comments! <3


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagi goes to return the bell, but then they are all aprehended at school, supposedly, someone belived that one of the Anubis House residents is the thief? Sibuna then checks out the new part of the tunnels, and Tsumugi continues to suspect Vera for the theft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again with a new chapter, please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

“Are you guys sure we should have let Nagi go and return the ox-bell by himself? What if he gets caught?” Riku asked in worry as he, Iori, Tamaki and Sougo walked to school. Meanwhile, Nagi had already headed over to the Watanabe Library to return the stolen artefact.

“He was the one who was adamant about going by himself. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Iori said, giving Riku’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Riku smiled up at him and nodded. “I guess.” He said. 

The four friends kept walking, but as they reached the school, they were greeted by the stern faces of both Sousuke and Tsukumo. “There you are.” Said the headmaster as he spotted them. “Residents of Anubis House, come this way.” He added, ushering the four of them into the school and then into his office. 

Already inside the office was Gaku, Ryuu, Tenn, Mitsuki and Yamato, as well as Akihiko and Vera. “What’s going on?” Tamaki asked. With a serious expression, Sousuke turned to them. “Some very serious allegations have been made against you. We received an anonymous tip that one of the residents from Anubis House is the one who stole the ox-bell from the exhibition.” He explained. 

Everyone was shocked to say the least. “What the hell? You think any of us would steal it?” Gaku asked, looked downright angry. “Now, now, I don’t necessarily think you did it. However, we can’t ignore any tip regarding the theft. I’m just doing my job as headmaster.” Sousuke said, trying to calm down his son. “Now, where is Rokuya Nagi? We’ll instigate a bag search once he arrives.” 

As if on cue, the door opened and in came Tsukumo, who had apparently left at some point, holding Nagi by the arm. “Found this one outside, that should be all, right?” He asked, closing the door behind him. 

Sousuke nodded. “Now then, hand over your bags so I can search them. Then you can all go back to class.” He said. Gaku rolled his eyes in response but was still the first one to hand Sousuke his bag. Sousuke searched it and didn’t find anything. It was barely visible, but the headmaster seemed to relax a bit once he confirmed it wasn’t his son who was the thief. 

Sousuke went on, searching everyone’s bags until only one person remained, Nagi. Riku gulped and silently prayed that Nagi had had enough time to go to the library and return the bell before he got caught. When Sousuke seemed to hit something metallic, Riku’s heart got caught in his throat. “Well, well, what do we have here?” He asked, pulling out whatever it was he had found. 

However, it was no ox-bell, it was a metallic pen case. “What? Did someone steal Akihiko-san’s pen case as well?” Nagi asked, his carefree smile telling Riku and the others that he had made it. Sousuke scoffed and put the pen case back inside. “They’re all good. Must have been a false tip.” He said. 

Off to the side, Akihiko looked relieved, Vera’s face betrayed nothing, but Tsukumo looked furious. Quickly, as if to not have to endure Tsukumo’s anger, the students quickly left the office. 

Sibuna snuck off on their own, after which they quickly cornered Nagi. “Did you manage to return it? Did someone see you?” They asked in unison. Nagi shook his head and held his hand up in a peace symbol. “I got it back to the library! And no one saw me! So, now we’re all good and can leave this last task behind us!” He said, after which everyone relaxed. 

“Which means, once we get back to the house, we can check out the new passage down in the tunnels!” Riku exclaimed happily. Nagi winked at him and held up his hand, covering one of his eyes. “Sibuna!” He said, and the rest mirrored him. “Sibuna!” 

Akihiko and Tsumugi stood together in stunned silence. Once again, they had only left the library unattended for a short while. Before they left, the display case was still empty. When they returned, nothing appeared to be different, the door was still locked, the lights still off, everything in its place. However, they soon saw that in the previously empty display case, there now was the stolen ox-bell. 

“I don’t understand how this could happen…” Akihiko said. “Yes… It seems it was returned while we were away.” Tsumugi agreed. “Maybe the thief’s bad conscience made them return it? Either way, it’s back now, so we can put all of this behind us.” Akihiko declared. Tsumugi smiled and nodded. 

That was when the door opened, and in came Vera. When she saw the ox-bell in place she first seemed surprised, then a smile overtook her features. “Oh my, you found it?” She asked. Akihiko nodded. “Yes, it was back in place when we returned.” He said. Vera frowned. “That’s strange… But good, very good! Do you happen to know who took it?” She asked. 

Akihiko shook his head. “No, we never solved that puzzle. And now that it is back in one piece, then I say we put all of this behind us.” He said. Vera smiled, and Tsumugi swore that she looked more relieved than anything. “Well, that sounds good.” Vera said. 

That was when Tsumugi noticed that Vera had a small band aid on her right forearm. She frowned and pointed at it. “Vera, did you cut yourself?” Tsumugi asked. Vera turned to her, looked down at her arm and smiled. “Oh, yes. I accidentally dropped a plate and cut myself on one of the pieces. So awfully clumsy.” She explained. “Now, if you excuse me, I have something to discuss with Akihiko-san.” She added and left with the curator. 

Tsumugi frowned and pulled out the small, pink, bloodied piece of fabric that she had found in the broken display case the day of the theft. Vera had been wearing a pink cardigan that day, had a cut on her arm, and was generally a pretty suspicious person. Tsumugi had a feeling she might know who was behind the theft after all. 

True to their words, Sibuna made their way back into the tunnels as soon as they could once school let out. Finally, they found themselves back in the chamber of Hathor, looking down into the new passage. Now that the curses on them were lifted, they were actually kind of excited to get back to it and see what awaited them next. 

They walked down the new set of tunnels until, once again, they reached a new chamber. “Woah…” Both Tamaki, Nagi and Riku exclaimed in awe at the new room. It was a big, round chamber and the walls had been painted in a dark blue colour, although the paint had started to flake away so brown spots peeked through on quite a lot of places. There also seemed to be stars drawn on the wall, and one of the walls also had a sun and a moon. 

In the middle of the chamber there was something rather peculiar, six metal hands protruded from the floor, reaching up to the boys’ waists. The hands were cupped, as if you were meant to put something in each and every one of them. Also, from somewhere in the ceiling there came a beam of light that perfectly hit one of the hands. 

“So, I’m guessing this is the next task?” Sougo suggested as he walked up and poked one of the hands. Iori nodded and did the same, seeing if any of the hands could be turned or moved in any way. But alas, they were all stuck. “Yes, this is definitely the next task. The question is only what we’re supposed to do.” He said. 

“Maybe we’re supposed to put something in them? It looks like they’re supposed to be holding something.” Riku said. Again, Iori nodded. “That’s possible, but it's hard to say without anything to go on. Let’s look around the room and see if we can find any indication about what to do.” He said. 

And so, looking around is what they did. Initially they didn’t find anything, but then, Tamaki noticed that there was writing along the very top of one the walls. “Look there! Could that be a new clue?” He asked and pointed at the writing. Riku walked up to the wall then to take a closer look. “The paint is a bit faded, so it’s hard to make out… But I think I can read it all.” He said. 

_“On six little stars that borrow light, the secret falcon takes its flight, seek the stars in the jackal’s lair, be always vigilant and beware, for the quester who completes this task, shall find the chamber of the mask.”_ Riku read out loud. 

“Wait a minute…” Tamaki said before turning to the others with a grin on his face. “If the ones who completes this task finds the chamber of the mask, does that mean…?” He started. “That this could be the final task.” Nagi completed, a grin matching with Tamaki’s of his own. 

“That could be the case, but…” Iori started. “Knowing Watanabe Ritsu, the next room will be the room where we’ll find the mask, but there will probably be one or many different challenges to get to it still.” He completed. Riku nodded in agreement, though he looked a bit dejected by the thought. 

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Sougo said then. “No matter if this is the final task, or if another ten tasks await us after this, we should finish this one before we start to think about that.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Osaka-san is right. It won’t help us to dwell on what’s ahead if we don’t finish this task. So, let’s focus on figuring out what to do here and now.” He said. Riku smiled and agreed, and even if Tamaki and Nagi looked longingly at the closed door, they also agreed. 

“On six little stars that borrow light… Maybe that’s what we are supposed to place in the hands? The six little stars.” Riku suggested. 

“Yes… That has to be it!” Iori said as he walked over to the first hand, the one where the beam of light hit. “Objects that borrow light could mean object with reflective surfaces. If we place something, like a mirror for example, on the hand, it should reflect the light and direct it to the next hand! That way, it will sort of create a constellation, thus why they are called stars.” He said. 

“I’ve got a mirror on me now, we could try it out.” Nagi said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small pocket mirror. Iori nodded and stepped aside so that Nagi could put the mirror in the palm of the first hand. However, it didn’t happen like Iori said. It did reflect the light, but nowhere near the next hand. 

Nagi frowned. “Okay, so my pocket mirror doesn’t work, what now?” He asked. “Maybe it has to be specific reflectors? Like, we can’t just use anything, it has to be six specific objects.” Riku suggested. Iori nodded. “Could be.” He said. 

“Seek the stars in the jackal’s lair...” Riku repeated. “We have to look for these reflectors and then, once we have all six of them, we put them on the hands.” He said. “The jackal’s lair… Where is that?” Sougo asked. 

Iori smiled then. “Well, that part is easy. It’s the House of Anubis.” He said. “Of course!” Riku exclaimed. “The God Anubis is always depicted with a jackal’s head! So, the jackal’s lair is Anubis’ home, or rather, Anubis House!” He said. 

“So, these six reflectors are hidden throughout the house?” Sougo asked, and Riku and Iori both nodded in confirmation. “Which means that we have to go back to the house and start looking?” Tamaki asked then, and once again, Iori and Riku nodded. 

“We know they have to be reflective, like mirrors, or something made of glass or metal. I’m guessing it also can’t be just anything reflective from the house, but that these ‘six little stars’ are unique.” Iori speculated. 

Riku nodded. “Yes. Hopefully we’ll be able to tell when we find the right objects… The riddle also mentioned a falcon, which is the symbol of Horus, the God whose designated part of the tunnels we are in right now. It’s possible that will have something to do with it.” He added. 

“Okay then.” Iori said. “I say we go back and start looking. The sooner we finish this thing, the better.” He declared. The rest of the group all agreed, and so they started leaving the tunnels again. 

However, Riku stayed behind as he felt something, like a presence behind him. When he turned around, Senkhara stood there. But for once, Riku didn’t feel scared of her. “You have done well to progress this far, Chosen One.” She said, and for the first time since she started appearing to Riku, she looked genuinely pleased. 

Riku nodded and Senkhara continued. “I trust this means that you have learned your lesson. Do not disobey me again.” She said, this time turning more serious, but not nearly as hostile as she had been before. Maybe the fact that they were getting really close to the mask was making her feel better. 

Again, Riku nodded. “I have, I promise I will find the mask for you.” He said. Senkhara smiled again, and then she vanished. “Riku?” Iori called out then, he must have noticed Riku’s absence. “Sorry, I’m coming now! Just got a bit distracted.” Riku called out as her jogged to catch up with his friends. 

The day after the ox-bell had been returned, everything went back to normal in the Watanabe Library. In fact, everyone acted like the theft had never really happened in the first place. Tsumugi felt like she was the only one who had not let the incident go. 

All of the evidence Tsumugi had found supported her theory that Vera had stolen it, but she also knew that none of it was conclusive enough to actually accuse Vera of the theft. And besides, even if Tsumugi did accuse Vera of stealing the ox-bell, would anything even come out of it? The bell had already been returned and no one seemed all that keen on finding out who had done it. 

But even if nothing were to come from it, Tsumugi still wanted closure, if only for her own sake. And so, that is why Tsumugi decided to go back to Anubis House and find out for herself whether or not Vera was guilty. Her plan involved her sneaking up into the guestroom in the attic where Vera lived, and then checking her wardrobe to see if she could find that pink cardigan Vera had worn the day of the theft. Then Tsumugi could inspect it to see if the small piece of fabric she had found had come from it. 

Tsumugi knew it was risky, but she felt like she had to do this, or she would never be able to let this issue go. 

When Tsumugi reached the House of Anubis, she was relieved to find that Vera was out in the garden, which would make it easier for Tsumugi to sneak around inside. The students were also in school right now, and Tsukumo was out, which left her alone inside the house. 

Tsumugi made her way up the stairs and into the attic, glad to find the door unlocked. Once she was up there, she immediately made for the wardrobe. She shuffled through the various dresses, blouses and cardigans until she found the one she had been looking for. When Tsumugi took it out and looked closer she didn’t find a hole, but she could see that there had been a hole that was now mended in the right sleeve. 

“I knew it.” She said. “Knew what?” Someone asked behind her, making Tsumugi twirl around, her eyes wide and panicky. There, in the doorway, stood Vera Devenish. “Vera… Hi.” Tsumugi said, not sure how to excuse her presence in her room. Vera frowned and took a step closer. “What are you doing in here?” She asked. 

Tsumugi gulped. “Oh, I…” She started, trying hard to come up with an excuse. “I saw you wearing this cardigan a while back and I thought I recognized it as one I have wanted to get for a long time. I just had to know if it was, and I was right!” She said, trying to sound casual, even though nothing about this situation was casual. 

It was obvious from Vera’s expression that she did not believe Tsumugi’s excuse. This was also confirmed when Vera spotted the napkin in one of Tsumugi’s hands and took it. After unfolding it, she found the small, bloody piece of fabric that had led Tsumugi here, and it was clear that Vera realized what it was. 

Vera looked down at Tsumugi, her eyes were no longer suspicious, but now they were cruel and icy cold. Tsumugi shied away, now the housemother was really starting to scare her. “Oh, sweetheart, you really shouldn’t have come here.” Vera said, making her way closer and closer to Tsumugi. Tsumugi in turn gulped down her nerves and kept backing away until she hit the wall. 

Soon, Vera stood mere inches away from her, leaving Tsumugi nowhere to run. “You should have let this go when you had the chance. This could cause so much trouble for me.” Vera said, raising her hand high above her head. Tsumugi barely had time to register the tool in Vera’s hands before her world turned black. 

The bell rang, signalling the end of class the next day. As everyone started packing up, Tamaki turned around to talk to Iori and Riku, who were sat in the seats behind him. “So, we need to start looking for the reflectors, right? How are we going to do that?” He asked. 

Sighing, Iori stopped packing his bag for a second to respond to Tamaki. “Well, how does one normally look for things? We’ll just have to start searching. The only problem is that we’re not really sure what we are looking for. I wish we had some sort of indication when we find the right things.” He said. 

“I think we’ll know when we find them.” Riku said. “Watanabe Ritsu was smart, his tests were never just pure luck, there has to be a way to identify the right reflectors.” He stated. Iori and Tamaki nodded. 

“Also,” Iori said. “We sort of forgot about it for a while, but Tsukumo still has the spare amulet. We need to get it back, or Tsukumo can come and go into the tunnels whenever he wants. If we want to assure ourselves that he doesn’t get to the mask first, we need a plan for getting the amulet off of him.” He said. 

Tamaki frowned. “So, not only do we have to find six specific reflectors, but we have to come up with a way of taking back that amulet. And I’m guessing we can’t just snatch it off him while he sleeps like last time.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “He’ll just know it was us and try to take it back again. We need to get it back, but it would be good if we could also find a way to make sure he doesn’t come back for it.” He said. 

“That’s true…” Iori said, looking thoughtful. Then, Tamaki stood up suddenly, a bright grin on his face. “Well, what are we waiting for then? Let’s go back to the house and start looking for reflectors, or try to come up with a way to get the amulet back!” He declared. 

Iori nodded and stood up, and while Riku followed suit, he stayed behind at his desk as the other two started walking. “You two go ahead, I’ll meet up with you at the house later.” He said. 

Iori turned around and gave him a weird look. “Why? Where are you going?” He asked. Riku smiled and pointed at the door, where Tenn stood waiting. “Tenn-nii and I are going to visit Gran. Tsumugi promised to drive us to the hospital so we’re heading over to the library now.” He said. 

Realization dawned on Iori then. “Oh, I see.” He said. “I don’t suppose you… want company?” He asked. Riku smiled but shook his head dismissively. “Sorry, but I think it’s best if Tenn-nii and I go alone. We won’t be too long, so you guys can start without me.” He said. 

Iori nodded, but it was clear that he still kind of wanted to come along. In the end, it was Tamaki who had to drag Iori away. “Well Rikkun, say hi to your grandmother from us! We’ll see you back at the house later!” He said, and then he and Iori left. 

Once those two were gone, Riku walked over to Tenn, who was still waiting by the door. “Let’s go.” Riku said, and Tenn nodded. Then the twins headed out and started making their way to the Watanabe Library. 

On the way there, the twins started talking. They had spent so much time together over the break that once they got back to school, they had both sort of naturally drifted back into their own groups. Of course, they still talked about a lot of things and made sure to spend time together, but having these visits to the hospital was nice in a way. Even though it was a bit hard with their Gran, it felt like these visits helped bring the twins back together. 

However, Riku had noticed that despite them having grown so close again after being separated for so long, there seemed to be two subjects that were completely taboo, stuff they just didn’t talk about. One was on Riku, and that was the quest. Riku never told Tenn anything about the quest or the curse or what he was actually doing most of the time. 

The second thing, however, was all on Tenn, and that was Iori. Riku had tried to bring his boyfriend up in conversation in hopes that he might be able to clear up whatever was going on between them. But that proved to be difficult when everytime Riku mentioned Iori, Tenn would promptly change the subject. 

So, while the twins talked about a lot on the way to the library, neither the quest or Iori ever came up. And soon, they had reached their destination. Walking inside, Riku quickly spotted Akihiko but he couldn’t see Tsumugi. Figuring she had to be around somewhere, Riku walked up to the curator with a smile and asked him. “Akihiko-san, hello! Do you know where Tsumugi is?” 

Akihiko looked up from his work and smiled at Riku as he came over. “Riku-kun, hi! Did you need Tsumugi-san for anything?” He asked. Riku nodded. “She promised to drive Tenn-nii and I to the hospital today after school. We’re visiting our Gran.” He explained. 

“Oh.” Akihiko said, after which he frowned. “Well, I’m sorry to tell you that Tsumugi-san isn’t here. She didn’t come in to work this morning, and she’s not picking up her phone. I figured maybe she wasn’t feeling well.” He explained. 

“That’s strange.” Tenn said from the back as he also walked up to join Riku and Akihiko. “She would have told us if she couldn’t drive us anymore. She’s not the type to just bail on anyone.” He said and Riku nodded in agreement. “I hope she’s okay.” He said. 

“I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Tenn said. “But now we have to take the bus to the hospital.” He said, sounding less happy about this. Akihiko gave them a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, if I didn’t have to stay here with the exhibition, I could have given you a ride.” He said. 

Riku smiled and shook his head. “It’s fine, we’ll just take the bus. There should be one who leaves in… ten minutes?” He said. Tenn nodded. “Yeah, we can take that one, though we’ll have to leave now.” He said. Riku nodded and turned back to Akihiko. “Well, bye then! Let us know if you hear anything from Tsumugi!” He called out and waved goodbye to Akihiko as he and Tenn left. 

Akihiko smiled and waved back, then returned to his work. It was only about an hour later that Akihiko found a letter addressed to him on his desk. It was from Tsumugi. Apparently, one of her cousins had fallen ill and needed Tsumugi to babysit their two year old child, and that was why she had left so suddenly. Something felt off about the letter, even Akihiko could tell that, but as he was quite busy, he quickly dismissed the thought and went back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, Tsumugi is in trouble... Will she be able to get out of it by herself? Or will someone realize and come help her? Also, Sibuna has a new puzzle! Time to look for reflectors! I'll be back on Saturday with the continuation to this story, so stay tuned! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Also, thank you to everyone who would take the time to leave kudos or comments, they mean a lot to me. <3


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna's search for the reflectors starts, meanwhile, Tsukumo ventures back into the tunnels to find the new task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back again with a new chapter, I hope you guys will enjoy it. ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can find me over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Visiting the hospital had always been uncomfortable for Riku. Although, most of the time he went there because something was wrong with him, and he had to say, going there because something was wrong with someone he loved was so much worse. And that was why it was kind of a relief when he and Tenn finally left.

There hadn’t been any changes in Emi’s condition, she had not gotten worse, but she also had not gotten any better. The doctors still had no idea what was wrong with her, just that something was going on, so they wanted to keep her in for observation for a while longer. There wasn’t really anything either Tenn or Riku could do other than to keep visiting and be there for her. 

Upon getting back to the House of Anubis, the twins went their separate ways and Riku walked up to his and Nagi’s room, where he found the others. “Hey, how did it go?” Iori asked as Riku came in and joined Iori on the bed. Riku shrugged. “It went okay, at least she’s not getting worse, so that’s something. She’s not getting better either, but…” He trailed off. 

Iori reached out and lay his hand on Riku’s knee, squeezing it reassuringly. “She’ll get better, I’m sure of it.” He said. They were empty words, but they still made Riku feel better. He smiled and nodded at Iori. “Yeah, you’re right.” He said. “Anyways, how are things going for you? Made any progress?” 

Iori frowned and shook his head. “Not really. We were just about to check the dollhouse.” He answered. And as if on cue, Nagi walked over to the dollhouse and opened it up, then he frowned. “Did any of you guys move the dolls around since this morning? Because otherwise, someone’s been here.” He said. 

At that, they all shook their heads. “Why, did they move?” Riku asked. Nagi nodded. “Yeah… I was kind of bored this morning so I started moving them around, just giving them all little jobs to do, and now they’re all in the office on the second floor.” He replied. 

“But if it wasn’t any of us, then who did it?” Asked Tamaki. “Tsukumo? I mean, why would anyone else do it?” Riku asked, but Sougo shook his head. “Would he really do that though? It doesn’t seem like he wants us to know that he’s caught up with what’s happening in the tunnels. Moving the dolls around is like asking for us to notice.” He said. 

Nagi shrugged then. “Maybe it was one of the other guys who were just messing around. I’ll just move them back, I guess.” He said, before going back to moving the dolls back to where they had been. Riku looked over at Nagi as he did this. “While you’re at it, do you notice anything off in there?” He asked. 

Nagi shook his head. “Nope, nothing.” He said and turned to Riku with a sheepish smile. “Sorry.” Riku shook his head and smiled bitterly. “It’s fine, I guess we should maybe rely on something other than the dollhouse.” He said. 

Nagi closed up the dollhouse and they all were just about to discuss where to start looking for these reflectors. However, they didn’t even get to start, as just a few seconds after it was closed, the dollhouse lit up, only to turn itself off a few seconds later. 

They all looked at each other and then at the dollhouse before Nagi once again walked over to it and opened it up. “Guys…” He said and moved out of the way, only to reveal that just like before, the dolls had all moved into the office on the second floor. “I don’t think anyone was here and moved the dolls anymore.” He said. 

Riku stood up then and walked over to check the dolls out closer. “What if… What if the dollhouse is telling us where to look? The second floor office would have to be Tsukumo’s office, so what if there’s a reflector in there?” He speculated. 

“Then let’s go check it out right now.” Iori declared, standing up and leading the way out into the hallway. Much to all of their delight, Tsukumo’s office was empty. Tamaki offered to stand guard while the others started looking around. However, they didn’t get much of a chance to look, as not even ten minutes had passed when Tamaki warned them that Tsukumo was coming back. 

The five boys left the office and returned to Riku and Nagi’s room, but they all knew that the dolls in the dollhouse magically moving to the same place had to mean something. Whether it was a reflector or anything else, there was something important in there that they had to find. 

Early the next morning, Tsukumo was in his office, going over some of his notes on the translations he had made of the Book of Isis so far. He was far from complete, and the easy parts were the ones he had already done. He was probably looking at years of work if he wanted to get the entire thing translated, but it was worth it. 

Ever since he found it, the final chapter of the Book of Isis had been his priority, as all of the most important information was in there. As he kept translating, he also realized that it was likely that Watanabe Ritsu had drawn inspiration from the Book of Isis when setting all the different tasks down in the tunnels. He recognized a lot of the components and symbolism from things he had encountered down there. 

Thinking about the tunnels made him feel a bit restless. Tsukumo had not been down there for quite a while now, and it was making him a bit antsy. At first, he had stayed out because Vera had asked him to wait until the children had finished the music task. When the ox-bell was returned to the library, they had both assumed it was done, but even so, Tsukumo had not been able to find enough time to return to the tunnels. 

Tsukumo couldn’t stop thinking about it, and so, he decided that he should just go now. See what progress the kids has made since he last visited the place. Tsukumo thus left his office and started heading downstairs. 

On his way down, Tsukumo stopped in the hallway as he heard voices coming from the kitchen. He recognized the voices as the ones belonging to Riku and Iori, two of the boys Tsukumo knew were involved in the quest. Making sure he stayed silent, Tsukumo made his way closer to the kitchen so that he could listen more closely. 

“On six little stars that borrow light, the secret falcon takes its flight.” Riku said, and Tsukumo’s eyes widened. That sounded like one of Ritsu’s riddles, so it must be from whatever new portion they had discovered down in the tunnels. “That’s the first part of the riddle, and it’s talking about the reflectors we have to find. Though, I’m still not sure where the falcon comes in.” Riku continued. 

There was a pause, then Iori spoke. “The second part goes, ‘seek the stars in the jackal’s lair, be always vigilant and beware’. It’s telling us that they’re all hidden in the House of Anubis.” He said. “Right, but it doesn’t say anything about where in the house, or what exactly the ‘stars’ are.” Riku added. 

Tsukumo thought about what they had said, about stars and reflectors and falcons. And then he realized something. Tsukumo realized that he might know what they were talking about. He reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small, golden pocket watch that he turned around in his hand. And sure enough, on the back, there was a falcon symbol. 

The pocket watch had belonged to his dad, a gift to him from Watanabe Ritsu. In fact, it was one of the only things the Watanabes had given his father. And after his dad died, Tsukumo had found the pocket watch in his dad’s jacket. He had carried it with him ever since, as a token of his late father. Their relationship had not been the best, but he was still the man who had raised him. 

Tsukumo had always wondered about the falcon symbol on the back, if it meant something or if it was simply decorative. But if Ritsu had been the one who gave it to Tsukumo’s father, then it was possible that the falcon meant that it was part of one of the tasks. 

In the other room, Iori and Riku kept talking. “And then finally, the riddle goes, ‘For the quester who completes this task, shall find the chamber of the mask’. That means this could potentially be the last task! It just shows that this task might be the most important one we’ve had to do so far.” Riku said. 

Tsukumo’s eyes widened again. _‘The final task? Next up is the chamber where the mask is kept?’_ He thought. And right then and there, he made up his mind regarding two things. One, he needed to go back into the tunnels now, to learn what this final task was exactly. And two, if this truly was the final task, then he needed to be the one who completed it. Playtime was over, he was not going to let the kids beat him to the mask. 

Upon waking up, Tsumugi felt disoriented. Her vision was a bit blurry and she was becoming more and more aware of the pounding headache she had. She wasn’t sure where she was or why she was there, she wasn’t even sure for how long she had been out. She just knew that something was terribly wrong. 

Once she started to get her bearings and got less dizzy, her vision getting sharper and sharper, she was able to comprehend that she was sitting down, leaning against a wall. The room she was in was dark and a bit chilly, but not too cold. The floor was hard, and the only light source in the room was a small, square window. Judging from the light, it was very early in the morning, as the sun had just started to rise. 

The next thing Tsumugi noticed was not about the room, but rather her own state. Her hands were tied in front of her, which immediately set off alarm bells. When Tsumugi then tried to stand up, she found that her legs were also tied together. It was at that moment that it all came back to her, the stolen ox-bell, the bloody piece of fabric, and confronting Vera. 

Had Vera kidnapped her to keep her from talking? If so, Tsumugi was in a lot more trouble than she ever thought possible by confronting the new housemother. It also meant that whatever suspicions Tsumugi had had about Vera, the reality was possibly even worse than she thought. 

Tsumugi didn’t get much more time to dwell on it for the time being though, as the door to the room was opened. Outside, Tsumugi could glimpse a big parking lot, as well as what looked like a farmhouse. The light that now cascaded over the room made it obvious that she seemed to be in some sort of storage unit, there were stuff everywhere. 

However, it wasn’t the room or the outside that truly caught her attention, it was the figure that loomed above her. They were tall and broad-shouldered, but more than that was hard to determine as whoever they were wore a long, black cape. Also, they wore a mask that covered their entire face, so Tsumugi could not make out much of anything about their appearance. 

The mysterious figure placed a bowl of what looked like some sort of porridge on the ground just before Tsumugi’s feet, then took a step back. “Eat.” The person said, their voice sounding distinctly male. Tsumugi gulped, but she did not dare move. The man scoffed, but he didn’t force her to touch the food. Instead, he just turned around and left. 

“Wait! Who are you?!” Tsumugi gathered the courage to ask. She had not really been expecting an answer, but the man stopped in the doorway, and without giving her a second glance, he answered her. “They call me The Collector.” And then he left. 

Tsumugi watched him go and was for a minute considering calling out for help. But she could tell from the way the man behaved, and also the fact that he locked her in again, that he had not come there to save her. How had things turned out like this? What could Tsumugi possibly do now? 

Tsumugi was feeling desperate as she crumbled to the ground and let out a heart-wrenching sob. Later, she might attempt to free herself, but now she just felt hopeless, she couldn’t even touch the food the man had given her. Instead, she simply cried herself to sleep. 

Tsukumo wasn’t sure what he had been expecting from the new chamber in the tunnels, but it sure wasn’t what he found. Unlike the previous chambers, the walls and ceiling in this room had been richly decorated, all of the motifs related to the sky or astrology. It would have surely been more impressive with proper lighting, and if the paint hadn’t started flaking and forming cracks along the walls. Still, it was breathtaking. 

Apart from the walls, there were also the six pedestals shaped like hands. The hands were all cupped, palm up, as if they were meant to be holding something. Tsukumo recalled the riddle he had heard from Iori and Riku, then looked around until he spotted it on one of the walls. 

Tsukumo fished out his pocket watch and looked it over once more. Sure enough, it had the falcon symbol on the back. Tsukumo was not certain that this was what the riddle was talking about, but he had a strong suspicion that it could be. Wanting to figure it out, and also not being sure what else to do, Tsukumo walked up to the first pedestal and placed his watch, falcon symbol up, in the palm of the hand. 

The beam of light that came from the ceiling hit the falcon, which bent the light and directed the beam forward. The light now directly hitting the second pedestal. “Woah…” Tsukumo said in awe. “The falcon symbol on each reflector must bend the light in such a way that it hits the next pedestal. Once you have all of them, it connects the entire thing and creates a constellation. That’s how to solve this task.” He said. 

Tsukumo took back his pocket watch and immediately the light that connected the first and second pedestal went away. He smiled triumphantly down at the tiny golden contraption. By the sound of what he had overheard, it seemed like the children had yet to find any reflectors, which gave Tsukumo an advantage. He knew what to look for, what the falcon symbol looked like, they did not. 

Tsukumo took one final look around the chamber, observing the wall with the moon and the sun, and looking over all the different paintings on the walls. He was just about to leave when he spotted something. On one of the walls, there was a round zodiac drawn in brown paint. It didn’t stand out and was quite hard to see, even more so to spot all the details. There were twelve slots, for twelve zodiacs, but only half of them were filled in with a symbol, the rest were blank. 

What caught Tsukumo’s attention wasn’t the picture itself, but rather the fact that he recognized it. He was almost certain that he had seen that same zodiac, or at least one that looked very similar, in the final chapter of the Book of Isis. This further proved his theory that Ritsu had used the book to set the tasks. 

This discovery made Tsukumo immediately want to head back out. He had what he came for, he had seen the new chamber and he knew exactly what to do to solve the task. Now he needed to check the zodiac in the book and compare it to the one down here. Then all that is left is finding the reflectors. 

After breakfast, Riku and Nagi quickly headed back up to their room to finish getting ready for school. As they were packing, Riku sighed. “This is going to be so much more difficult than we first thought.” He complained. Nagi raised an eyebrow in question. “Care to elaborate?” He asked. 

Again, Riku sighed. “It’s just, when we first figured out we had to find six reflectors in the house, it didn’t sound like it would be that hard. Especially not if you compare it to literally everything else we have done for this quest! But we have no idea where to start looking, and we don’t even know what we are looking for! Just that it is something that is reflective, but that could be so many things!” Riku explained. 

Nagi nodded. “Yeah, I know what you mean. This may be one of the less dangerous things we have had to do, but that doesn’t make it the easiest.” He said, then gestured to the dollhouse. “You don’t suppose the dollhouse will give us more clues on where to look?” He asked. 

“I don’t know.” Riku admitted. “I mean, of course I hope it does, that would make this so much easier! But it’s kind of unpredictable, and it hasn’t always given us clues when we want it to.” He said. 

Nagi nodded. “That’s true, I guess… For now, I’ll arrange the dolls so that they’re in different rooms. If they’ve moved into the same room by the time we come back, we know to go look there.” He said, and Riku quickly agreed to that idea. That way, even if they were given a clue during the day when they were still in school, they wouldn’t miss it. 

As he opened the dollhouse, Nagi frowned at the sight. “You didn’t move the dolls away from the office since last night, right?” He asked and turned to Riku. “No, why? Are they not there anymore?” Riku asked, walking up to stand behind Nagi. 

“No, they’re in the child’s bedroom on the second floor. Last time we checked was after they moved to the office last night.” Nagi said, then he gave Riku a knowing look. “They must have changed while we were asleep or having breakfast.” Nagi said. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “Yes! And the child’s bedroom would correspond to Sara’s bedroom, which is now our room! There has to be a reflector in here!” He exclaimed happily. 

Nagi immediately started looking around. “But what could it be?” He asked. Riku shook his head in thought. “What if… Maybe we check Sara’s things? You know, what she gave me after she died.” He suggested. Nagi nodded and then the two walked over to the wardrobe to fetch the box with Sara’s belongings. 

Riku and Nagi made quick work of looking through the box, as they needed to leave for school any minute now. When Riku picked up and opened the music box, he finally noticed something. “Nagi, look! The mirror in the music box!” He exclaimed and pointed at the small, round mirror that was fastened to the inside of the music box’s lid. 

Nagi took a closer look. “There’s a falcon on it!” He exclaimed. Riku nodded and smiled. “On six little stars that borrow light, the secret falcon takes its flight.” Riku repeated. “This is a mirror, a reflective object, that belonged to the Watanabes, and has a falcon symbol on it! It has to be one of the six reflectors!” He said. 

Nagi grinned and raised his hand for a high five, which Riku happily returned. Then Riku pried the mirror loose, it came off surprisingly easy. He looked down at it triumphantly, then looked up at Nagi and said, “We have our first reflector.” 

The hallways of the school were empty, which in and of itself weren’t that weird. After all, class was in session, which meant that everyone was bound to be in class. The only one out in the hallways was Tenn, who had left to go to the bathroom. 

On his way back, Tenn passed by the trophy display case. He wouldn’t normally pay any attention to it, but ever since he won the ping pong tournament with Gaku and Ryuu, he had made it a habit of checking the Watanabe shield out whenever he passed. And this time, he saw someone standing in front of the display case. 

Feeling curious, Tenn walked closer to the display case. He soon realized that it was Akihiko, the curator, who was checking the trophies out. He was also talking on the phone. Not wanting to disturb him, Tenn figured he should just leave and get back to class. But that was when he happened to overhear something Akihiko said to whoever was on the other end of the phone call. 

“The shield is a Watanabe heirloom. But the most intriguing part of it is the gem. It’s clearly Egyptian in origin, and I figure it’s rather valuable.” Akihiko said. Tenn frowned, why was he interesting himself in the gem? Well, he was an antique dealer normally, so maybe it wasn’t that weird. But why was he telling someone else about it? And who was on the other end of the line? Maybe it was because of all the work Tenn and his friends had put into getting both the gem and the shield back, but Tenn felt pretty protective of it. He didn’t want anything to happen to it. 

Maybe Tenn was overreacting, but he decided to confront Akihiko. “Hey! What are you doing?” He asked, walking up to the older man, who startled and reply. When he saw who it was, Akihiko relaxed. “Oh, Tenn-kun. I’m talking to an old friend of mine, we usually call each other to discuss different antiquities. It’s kind of a contest we have to see who can find the most interesting ones.” Akihiko explained. 

Tenn nodded. “I see…” He said, then he glanced at the phone that was still in Akihiko’s hand. “The Collector? Is that your friend?” Tenn asked. 

Akihiko’s eyes widened, and for a second he almost looked afraid. Then he school his expression, turned off his phone and slipped it into his pocket. Then he gave Tenn a polite smile. “Yes, it’s his business name. Now, if you excuse me, I should be getting back to the library. And shouldn’t you head back to class?” He asked. 

Tenn nodded. “Yeah, I was just going.” He said. Akihiko nodded and then he left. Tenn watched him go, a frown on his face all the while. Why had Akihiko acted so weird? First, he had been startled when Tenn came up to him, then he acted strangely when Tenn asked him about his friend. Either way, Tenn really had to get back to class, otherwise the teacher would be suspicious. And so he left. 

Tsukumo had called Vera into his office to share his new discoveries with her. Just as he had expected, she had been delighted. “And you really think this may be the final task?” She asked in awe, her eyes filled with joy and longing. Tsukumo nodded. “It very well may be. However, we shouldn’t take that for granted. Watanabe Ritsu was nothing if not sneaky and clever. He loved riddles and could definitely have placed another one in the next chamber.” He said. 

Vera nodded, a thoughtful expression now on her face. “But if this is the final task, then it is of utmost importance that you and I are the ones who solve it. If the children do and then find themselves in front of the mask, then we will have lost. We need to find those reflectors before those brats do.” She declared. 

Tsukumo nodded. “I agree. Also, we should see if we could get another amulet, one for you. It is only befitting that you be there when we find the mask.” He said, a smile on his face as he reached out and gave Vera’s hand a light squeeze. 

Vera smiled back. “That sounds wonderful. I do really want to be there when we find our price. However, it should not be our priority. The most important thing is that we find the reflectors.” She said. 

Tsukumo smirked. “About that, I believe that we already have an advantage over the children.” He said, and Vera raised an eyebrow in question, motioning for Tsukumo to go on. “First of all, it sounded on the children like they had yet to find any reflectors, and I already have one.” He said, pulling out his golden pocket watch and handing it to Vera. 

The housemother gingerly took the watch and inspected it. “It’s beautiful. But are you sure it’s a reflector? How do you know?” She asked. Tsukumo smirked and took the watch back. He then pointed at the falcon symbol. “I believe all of the reflectors have this falcon symbol on them. That’s how we know when we have found one.” He explained. 

Vera nodded. “I get it. I’ll be sure to keep an eye open for those falcons then.” She said. “Perfect.” Said Tsukumo. “Also, there is one more thing we have as an advantage over the kids.” He said. “Oh yeah?” Vera asked. “And what would that be?” 

Tsukumo brought out the Book of Isis and opened the page where the zodiac from the tunnels was. Tsukumo had checked it out as soon as he came back from the tunnels that morning and concluded that the one down there had been taken from the book. “This zodiac is painted on the walls in the cellar, I believe that the symbols are clues to help us identify the reflectors.” Tsukumo started. 

Vera nodded and kept listening as Tsukumo continued to explain. “However, the zodiac in the cellar is incomplete. It only has half of the symbols filled in, whereas the zodiac in this book has all twelve symbols.” 

Vera’s eyes widened. “So, while the kids only have six clues to the reflectors, we have twelve?” She asked excitedly. Tsukumo nodded. “Exactly. The zodiac works like this, the opposite two symbols correspond to one reflector. For example, here is the symbol for time, and opposite that is the symbol for gold. In other words, my golden pocket watch.” He explained. 

“I see… So, if we decipher this, we should be able to figure out more precisely what we’re searching for.” Vera said, and Tsukumo nodded. “Right. It’s going to take a bit of time though, but it will make our search so much easier, so I believe it is worth it. While I work on this, can you keep your eye out for the falcon? And also observe the children, keep track on their progress.” Tsukumo suggested. 

Vera nodded in agreement. “Yes, I agree that that seems like the best plan. I’ll keep an eye out for the falcons. In the meantime, work hard on those translations.” She said, smirking at Tsukumo before leaving him to get started with his work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both Tsukumo and Sibuna are looking for the reflectors, and they both have one each... Who will be the first to find the rest? Well, the next part (Where they may or may not find more reflectors) will be out on Monday, so look forward to that! In the meantime, I would like to thank you all so much for reading! And an extra big thank you if you decide to leave kudos or comments, they really mean a lot to me!!! <3


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna go back into the tunnels to see if the mirror works and also discovers the zodiac. Meanwhile, Akihiko gets a job to do from The Collector.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's Monday, so I'm back with a new chapter for you all! I hope you enjoy it! ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

The school day went by in a blur, and the moment they got back to the house, Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo headed down into the cellar and the tunnels. That morning, while walking to school, Nagi and Riku had shown the rest the mirror they had found and explained how it had happened. They were all excited about having their first reflector, and that was why they had been eager to get back into the tunnels.

When they got into the chamber with the six pedestals, Riku pulled out the mirror. “Do I just put it on that first pedestal and see what happens?” He asked. Iori nodded. “Yeah, I think so.” He said. Riku nodded then and went up to the pedestal, gingerly placing the mirror on it. 

The light hit the mirror just right, bending the beam so that it shone right at the second hand. “Woah… That’s cool.” Tamaki exclaimed. “It’s the falcon, it has to be.” Nagi said. “This mirror has a falcon symbol on it. I bet that symbol is what is bending the light, which is why normal reflectors won’t work.” He added. 

“So,” started Riku. “Now we know one more thing about what we’re looking for. Every reflector we need has to have one of these falcon symbols on them. At least that way we will know when we have found the right objects.” He said. 

The others nodded. “That does make it a bit easier. We’re not looking around completely blind.” Sougo said. Again, the rest nodded. 

After that, the group was about to leave. However, Iori stopped them as he noticed something he had not been able to make out before. “Wait, guys. Look at this.” He said, and pointed at the wall in front of him. The rest walked up to him. “What did you find?” Riku asked. 

“Look at this wall, there’s something drawn on it. I didn’t notice before.” Iori said, pointing at the wall. The group all looked that way, and immediately saw what Iori had noticed. On the wall was a big round circle divided into twelve portions, like pizza slices. In six of them, there was a hieroglyph drawn. “What do you think it is?” Riku asked, turning to Iori. 

Iori shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I bet it’s relevant to the task. Otherwise, what is it doing down here? Maybe it will give us more clues as to what the reflectors are or where they are hidden.” He speculated. 

Hearing that, Riku quickly pulled out his phone and snapped some pictures of it. “Then let’s see if we can translate the hieroglyphics or find any information on what this is. It’s something else to do while we look for the reflectors.” He said. The others nodded in agreement, which now meant that they had one more thing to do. 

Late that afternoon, Akihiko ventured back to the school. He knew there were still a couple of teachers around, which was a bit risky with what he was about to do, but he would rather take that risk than break in tonight when they were all gone. He didn’t need to commit more than one crime. 

Looking around cautiously, Akihiko made his way to the room with the school’s trophy display case. Earlier today, he had gotten a phone call from The Collector. Despite having asked for this, Akihiko regretted getting in contact with him personally. It had been easier when Vera was the go-between for them. 

The Collector had asked him to give him any information he may have on anything related to the Watanabes. That was how he had found himself in front of the Watanabe Shield earlier that day. The Collector had called him again later, telling him that he wanted to see the gem in the shield for himself, but he refused to come visit the school. And so, Akihiko was about to do the unspeakable. He had to steal the gem. 

Akihiko had already gotten his hands on a spare key to the display case, so once he got there and had ensured that he was alone, he wasted no time in getting the case open. Akihiko leaned in close to the shield and immediately started prying at the gem, which soon became loose. When it finally popped out of the shield and into his hand, Akihiko smiled triumphantly at it. 

Then he heard something, footsteps and muted voices. Someone was coming his way. Quickly, Akihiko closed and locked the display case, and then he quickly and quietly made his way to the other end of the room and hid in a supply closet there. 

The door opened and three students entered, three students Akihiko recognized quite well. It was Nanase Tenn, Yaotome Gaku and Tsunashi Ryuunosuke, the three boys who had won the shield. 

The three friends made their way to the display case, and it didn’t take long for them to notice the missing gem. Akihiko held his breath, terrified that they would discover his hiding place. They all sounded agitated and upset, which was understandable. Soon, much to Akihiko’s relief, they left. However, much to his dismay, they had declared that they were going to get the headmaster. 

Quickly, Akihiko exited the supply closet and ran back to the display case. He wouldn’t have long to finish this, but there was one last thing he needed to do before he could leave. He opened the case and then pulled a second gem out of his pocket, one that looked just like the original gem, but was actually a fake. Only a professional should be able to tell the difference, so hopefully this would ensure that he wasn’t discovered. 

Once the switch was made, Akihiko once more closed and locked the display case. He then made his exit and carefully left the building, and the shield behind. 

Meanwhile, Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu returned to the room with Sousuke in tow. “Look over here, someone took the gem out!” Gaku exclaimed angrily while pointing at the shield. Sousuke leaned in closer then, to assess the damage. What he saw, however, made him sigh and turn back to the three students. “I’m sorry, but it appears you are mistaken. The gem is right there.” He said. 

Confused, for they had all seen the empty cavity, Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu leaned in to the shield. And sure enough, there was the gem, just as it should be. “What? But how?” Gaku asked in confusion. Sousuke sighed. “Either, someone borrowed the gem and then returned it, or the three of you just imagined it.” He said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more important things to attend to.” The headmaster added, then he left. 

After Sousuke left, the three friends turned back to the display case and the shield, “I don’t get it, it was gone before! You both saw it too, right?” Gaku asked, clearly upset by the incident. Both Tenn and Ryuu nodded. “Yeah, it definitely looked like it was gone before.” Ryuu agreed. 

Then Tenn leaned in closer and squinted his eyes at the gem. “I think it was stolen. It’s not obvious, but it looks a more cloudy now than it usually does, it’s clearer otherwise.” He said. Gaku frowned and Ryuu’s eyes widened in shock. “You think it was stolen? And what, that someone replaced it? Really?” Ryuu asked. 

Tenn nodded. “And I think I have our first suspect already.” He said. Gaku scoffed. “Well, what are we waiting for? We put too much energy into getting that gem back only for it to be stolen again. We’ll get it back.” He said. Tenn nodded. “Then we need to head over to the Watanabe Library. I think it might have been stolen by Akihiko-san.” 

Iori and Riku had been left alone in Riku and Nagi’s room, the other three Sibuna members being off looking for reflectors around the house. But Iori and Riku had offered to stay behind and research the painting they had discovered on one of the walls in the new chamber. 

The two of them had soon determined that it was some sort of zodiac, and that it was incomplete. However, they had not managed to find another copy of it, and thus didn’t know which zodiac it was, nor what the missing symbols were. Iori had also managed to translate some of the symbols they did have, but most of them did not make any sense. 

Iori sighed. “We know that this zodiac is a means to get more clues to the reflectors, but it’s incomplete! Also, I don’t understand any of the clues, other than the one the one we’ve already solved.” He complained. Riku smiled sympathetically. “Yeah, the symbol for ‘mirror’, right? That’s the one that is about the reflector we have already found.” He said and Iori nodded. 

“I wish we knew what zodiac it was.” Iori said. “Then we could figure out the rest of the symbols, see if they make more sense than the ones we have now.” He added. “Yeah…” Riku agreed, then he gave Iori an encouraging look. “But we’ll figure this out either way, I know we will.” He said. 

Smiling, Iori nodded and scooted closer. “We will, one way or another.” He said, leaning his head on Riku’s shoulder. Riku leaned in as well, but the tender moment only lasted so long before Riku’s phone started ringing, pulling the two out of their bubble. Riku picked it up and gave Iori an apologetic smile. “Sorry, it’s Tenn-nii.” He said before standing and picking up the call. 

Riku talked to Tenn for a minute, apparently he was still out which Riku found a bit strange, but nonetheless, he didn’t question him. When Tenn ended the call, Riku turned back to Iori. “Sorry, I have to go check something for Tenn-nii, but I’ll be back in like five minutes?” He said. 

Iori smiled in understanding and nodded. “Sure. I’ll just stay here and keep trying to identify our mystery zodiac.” He said, though he did not sound particularly excited about it. Riku chuckled, then left to take care of what Tenn had asked him to. 

It ended up taking a bit longer than five minutes, but soon he was done and ready to head back up to Iori. However, as Riku hurried up the stairs, eager to get back to his boyfriend, he didn’t look around much and ended up colliding with Tsukumo. The collision made Tsukumo drop all of the documents in his arms. 

“I’m so sorry!” Riku exclaimed as he knelt down and started helping Tsukumo pick the papers up. Tsukumo groaned and tried to push Riku away. But that was when Riku saw one specific paper with a zodiac that looked suspiciously much like the one from the tunnels, only this one was complete. How did Tsukumo have it? 

That was when Tamaki, bless him, called from downstairs. Apparently he had accidentally knocked over a vase in his search and had been forced to inform Tsukumo. Riku had never been more happy about his friend’s clumsiness, because Tamaki’s call had directed Tsukumo’s attention elsewhere for a minute. 

Riku made a quick and risky decision and grabbed the paper with the zodiac, then started running back to his room. Tsukumo obviously noticed as he called out for him to come back right this instant. But Riku didn’t stop, he knew that they would need the information on this document. 

Riku entered his bedroom and closed the door behind him, pressing his back to it to make sure Tsukumo didn’t enter. Iori looked startled at Riku’s sudden entrance. “Iori! Get your phone out!” Riku called just as Tsukumo started banging on the door. “Nanase Riku! Open this door and return what is mine right this instant!” He yelled. Riku gave Iori an impatient look. “Now!” He said. 

Confused, Iori nodded and pulled out his phone. Riku then held out the document and Iori’s eyes widened. “Take a picture of it!” Riku said and Iori complied. Once that was done and Iori had put his phone away, Riku stepped away from the door, which was when Tsukumo threw it open and glared angrily at Riku. 

Tsukumo held out his hand. “Give.” He said simply, cold and demanding. Riku immediately gave back the paper and forced an apologetic smile on his face. “Sorry, I thought it was one of my papers.” He said, knowing full well that Tsukumo would not buy that excuse, but he had to at least try, 

Tsukumo huffed in annoyance as he snatched back the paper and then gave Riku a used toothbrush. “You’re cleaning the toilets tomorrow.” He said before leaving, slamming the door shut behind him. 

Riku’s shoulders sagged in relief once he was gone and turned to Iori, who still looked a bit bewildered and confused. “What just happened?” He asked. Riku laughed and joined him on the bed again, the toothbrush lay forgotten on the bedside table. “I ran into Tsukumo on my way back and saw that paper. I think it’s the zodiac from the tunnels, the complete version. So, I took it.” He explained. 

Iori gaped at him. “Okay, first off, you could have gotten in so much more trouble than you did. Second off, if Tsukumo had a picture of the zodiac, that means he has gone back in the tunnels and know about the latest task, meaning he will most likely also be looking for reflectors. And finally, you’re amazing, getting that zodiac.” He said. 

Riku shrugged and smiled. “Well, we already knew that Tsukumo is going into the tunnels, so it was only a matter of time. Also, I don’t regret what I did, because now we have the full zodiac. And I was pretty amazing just now, wasn’t I?” He said with a smirk. 

Iori rolled his eyes, but still leaned in and placed a quick peck on the corner of Riku’s mouth. “Well, let’s check out the pictures I got then.” Iori said as he pulled back. Riku smiled and nodded encouragingly. 

Iori took his phone and opened the gallery. He had taken five pictures, of which only two were clear enough to make out the details. Iori and Riku studied it for a minute. “It’s definitely the zodiac from the tunnels, but this one has all twelve symbols. Now we just have to translate the six new symbols and then see if we can make any sense of it.” Iori said after a while. 

Riku nodded. “That’s good right? It should help us out.” He said and Iori agreed. “Right. Also, I think the translations could be easier this time around. At the top of the page it says what this zodiac is called, the zodiac of Horus. Maybe I can look it up and see what it’s all about.” Iori said. 

This was great news, so Riku beamed a smile at Iori and leaned in, placing a small peck on his boyfriend’s cheek. “Brilliant! That means me being on toilet duty isn’t in vain.” He said, making Iori chuckle. 

That night, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn waited outside the Watanabe Library for Akihiko to lock up and leave. They intended to search the place, see if he had left the gem there or if there was anything that suggested that he had taken it, before confronting him about it. So, after school Gaku had once more swiped a spare key to the library off his father’s desk. 

Once Akihiko had left and was a good few minutes away, the three friends came out of their hiding place and walked up to the building. Gaku unlocked the door and they headed inside. “Okay, where do we start?” He asked once they were all inside. 

Shrugging, Tenn just kind of pointed at one corner of the room. “While I’m not sure, Akihiko-san does have a desk down there.” He said. Gaku nodded and started making his way over there. Meanwhile, Ryuu looked around nervously. “Are we sure this is a good idea? I mean, Akihiko-san doesn’t seem like someone who would steal anything!” He said. 

“I agree.” Tenn said and turned to Ryuu. “But I’m just telling you what I saw. He was looking at the gem, telling someone about it, and then he got all tense and jumpy when I asked him about it. And it’s not like we have any other leads” He said. 

From the back, Gaku nodded in agreement. “I’m with Tenn, the least we can do is check out this lead. If we don’t find anything, then that’s great, we’ve proved his innocence! But if he really did take the gem, like Tenn suggests, and we didn’t do anything about it because he didn’t seem like the kind of guy who steals? Then we are never going to get it back.” He declared. 

With a sigh, Ryuu fully gave in. “I guess you’re right… But be careful! We don’t want him to know we sneaked in here!” He said, walking up to the desk where the other two were to make sure they didn’t do anything stupid. 

They searched the desk, but had found nothing so far. while Gaku and Ryuu kept looking, Tenn had opened up the laptop. After some guessing, Tenn was pleasantly surprised when he had managed to guess the password right. Once inside, Tenn opened up his email account. When he saw a contact under the name of The Collector, he immediately opened up their conversation. 

And lo and behold, the latest mail Akihiko had sent was a picture of the gem with some information written under it. The response had been a simple, ‘Get it for me.’ That message sealed the deal for Tenn, as he turned the computer around and told Gaku and Ryuu to have a look. 

“No way… So Akihiko-san really did take the gem?” Ryuu asked in disbelief. Gaku frowned. “At least he had a motive, he needed it for… The Collector?” He asked. Tenn nodded. “Yeah, that’s the person I heard him talking to on the phone earlier today. He must have switched the gems so that no one would notice it missing.” He said. 

Then, the door to the library was suddenly flung open and in came Akihiko. He looked shocked upon seeing the three students by his desk. “What are you doing in here?! The door was locked, no one is allowed to be in here after I leave!” He declared, walking up to them with an annoyed look on his face. 

Tenn scoffed and pushed his way past Gaku and Ryuu. “Well, we’re not the ones who have been stealing from the school! You took the gem from the Watanabe Shield, didn’t you? Where is it?!” He asked back. 

Akihiko looked taken aback by the accusations, but the guilty expression on his face told them everything they needed to know, he really had taken the gem. “You boys don’t understand. I advise you to leave now, if you don’t speak of this to anyone, then I won’t report you for breaking and entering.” He said. 

Gaku rolled his eyes. “My father is the headmaster of the school, worst case scenario, we get suspended for a while. And that is the worst that could happen for us. Your situation is a lot more serious, so I honestly don’t think you’re in any position to be making demands right now.” He said. 

Akihiko opened his mouth to argue, but saw in their expressions that they were serious. If he didn’t answer to them now, they would either tell Sousuke or go to the police, both of which Akihiko really wanted to avoid. The older man sighed and sat down behind his desk. “Okay, fine. I’ll tell you.” He said. 

“I stole the gem and switched it with a replica. I don’t have the real gem anymore, so I’m sorry, but I can’t return it to you.” Akihiko explained. Tenn frowned. “You already gave it to The Collector?” He asked. Akihiko looked startled at that name, but then nodded. “I didn’t have a choice.” He said dejectedly. 

Gaku slammed his hand down on the table angrily. “We always have a choice, dammit! Why did you steal it?!” He asked. Akihiko sighed again. “He is threatening me, okay? He’ll come after Iori-kun and Mitsuki-kun if I don’t help him.” He admitted. 

“Right, you’re like really close to them.” Ryuu said, sympathy written all over his face. Akihiko nodded. “I’ve been close friends with their parents for a very long time. I watched those two boys grow up! I’m not going to let The Collector hurt them.” He said. 

“How long has this been going on?” Gaku asked then, still looking irritated, but the worst of the anger had melted away by now. Akihiko shook his head. “Depends. I first tried to get in contact with him shortly before the bid for this exhibition. It was only a week or two ago that I started talking to him personally, though I have still never met him.” He said. 

Tenn frowned. “If you’ve never met him, how do you know it’s a ‘he’?” He asked. “I… Akihiko started. “I guess I can’t be sure. His voice is warped and he wore a mask the first time I saw him, which was a video call, by the way. But I guess one of his associates that relayed our messages before he started contacting me himself does refer to The Collector as ‘he/him’.” He explained. 

Gaku rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Whether this Collector person is a man, a woman, or a fucking llama, it doesn’t matter! He has our gem, and we are going to get it back!” He exclaimed. Tenn and Ryuu nodded in agreement. 

At that, however, Akihiko grew worried. “Absolutely not! Haven’t you listened to what I’ve been saying?! The Collector is dangerous, and I need you boys to stay far away from this mess I’ve created for myself! I promise you, I will try to negotiate for the gem, but in the meantime, I need you to leave this issue alone.” He said. 

“We can’t just give it up! You have no idea what we went through to get it back the first time! Blood, sweat, tears, goose poop!” Gaku exclaimed. Akihiko shook his head, part of him was taken aback by that last thing, but he decided he didn’t want to know the details. “I get that, but this isn’t some game! You could get hurt, or maybe even worse. It’s not worth it for a gem, no matter how important it is to you.” He said adamantly. 

Ryuu touched Gaku’s arm gently, trying to calm him down. “Maybe Akihiko-san is right. If this man is as dangerous as he says, then I’d rather we not get involved.” He said. Gaku crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He started, before giving Akihiko a pointed glare. “But if you can’t get the gem back soon, then we’ll just get it by ourselves.” He said. 

Akihiko nodded, but it was clear that this entire mess still bothered him quite a lot. Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu decided it was about time to leave, but before they did, Tenn had another question for Akihiko. “By the way, did you hear anything from Tsumugi since the last time I was here? I still haven’t seen her around.” He asked. 

“Well…” Started Akihiko. “I did get a letter saying she had to help babysit her cousin’s kid, but she hasn’t responded to any of my texts or calls, which is a bit strange. But maybe she’s just busy.” He explained. 

However, after hearing that, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn all froze. “That can’t be right.” Ryuu said. “Tsumugi always made a big deal of how her father is the only family she has left. She said multiple times how we and the others at Anubis House were the closest thing to family other than her dad. No way does she have a cousin, at least not one she's close enough with to babysit their kid.” He added. 

Akihiko frowned at that. “But why would she lie about where she is?” He asked. “Or she didn’t lie.” Said Tenn. “Maybe something happened and she’s actually in trouble. Maybe someone else left that letter to cover up their tracks.” He suggested. 

“No… That can’t be.” Akihiko said in disbelief. But then, suddenly realization dawned on him. “Unless… Oh no, Tsumugi.” He said and buried his face in his hands. “What? What happened?” Gaku asked impatiently. 

Akihiko looked up at the three boys. “Do you remember the stolen ox-bell? Tsumugi was convinced that Vera stole it, and I never got her to give up on that idea.” He said. 

“Wait, Vera? As in our housemother?” Asked Ryuu. Akihiko reluctantly nodded. “What if Tsumugi confronted Vera about the theft, and Vera had to cover her tracks?” He suggested. “Wait, so you also think Vera stole the ox-bell?” Tenn asked. 

Again, Akihiko nodded. “Not only do I think she did it, I know she did. But I couldn’t say anything.” He admitted. “Why not?” Gaku asked angrily, but then he seemed to realize the answer by himself. “She works for The Collector, just like you.” He said. 

“That’s right.” Akihiko admitted. “She was the go-between for me and him for a long time, until he started contacting me directly. I was the one who got Vera her job at Anubis House by recommending her to the headmaster, your father, and stealing the files of the other applicants.” He explained. 

Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn all stared at Akihiko in disbelief. “Oh crap, seriously? That’s messed up.” Gaku said. Akihiko nodded. “I know, and I regret all of it. But if Vera, and by default The Collector, has Tsumugi, I can’t just stand at the sidelines anymore. I have to come up with a solution.” He declared. 

“No.” Said Tenn, taking a step forward. “We come up with a solution. The three of us want to help, especially since Tsumugi might be in danger.” He said. Gaku and Ryuu nodded as well. “I can’t allow that.” Said Akihiko. “I told you, he is dangerous. Just let me deal with this.” 

This time, all three of them shook their heads. “Let us help.” Said Ryuu. “For Tsumugi.” Added Tenn. “And that gives us an opportunity to get the gem back as well.” Gaku said at last. 

Akihiko sighed. “I can’t just-” He started, but then interrupted himself. “Actually, there may be something you could do to help. The Collector is obsessed with antiques, especially if said antiques have a connection to the Watanabe family. If we had something of theirs, we might be able to arrange an exchange.” Akihiko suggested. 

This time, Gaku stepped up. “What do you need us to do?” He asked. “The House of Anubis.” Started Akihiko. “It used to belong to the Watanabes, so there is bound to be a lot of artefacts that belonged to them. I want you three to find me something from the house that belonged to a member of that family, then I’ll arrange an exchange to get Tsumugi back. And your gem if I can, but I think we all agree that Tsumugi is our priority.” He said. 

Gaky, Ryuu and Tenn nodded in unison. “So, all we have to do is find some important artefact that belonged to a member of the Watanabe family?” Asked Tenn, and Akihiko nodded. “Well, that should be easy enough.” Tenn answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! Did you like it? I hope you did. I'll be back with the next chapter on Wednesday, so stay tuned! Only 20 chapters left now (I know, it's still quite a lot...)! Thank you so much for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments!


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna are stuck on the reflectors, but instead, they finally get an idea on how to get the amulet back from Tsukumo...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back again with a new chapter! I hope you will enjoy it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Early in the morning, as all of the students were gathered in the dining room to have breakfast, Vera and Tsukumo entered. It was obvious they had something to say going by the serious expression on Tsukumo’s face and the expectant one on Vera’s. And so, everyone stopped eating so that they could hear what they had to say.

“Okay everyone, we have just received a phone call from the school.” Started Vera. “It appears that the manager of the Treasures of Egypt exhibition, Gustav Ziestack, will be coming over tomorrow to see how everything is holding up. And afterwards, the school would like to invite him over for dinner, a dinner that will be held here in the house.” She explained further. 

The boys started looking at one another, whispering about the news. At least, until Tsukumo clears his throat to regain their attention. “This means that there will be a few important people over tomorrow night, including but not limited to, Gustav, Akihiko-san and Sousuke. You are all invited to eat with us, but other than that I must ask that you keep to your rooms.” He said. 

Then Vera placed a hand on Tsukumo’s arm and gave it a squeeze. “Now, Tsukumo, that’s not all we wanted to say right?” She said, a smile on her face. Tsukumo scoffed but motioned for her to explain further. Vera turned back to the students. “I would like some help in the kitchen, and with serving. I was thinking some of you could help? Three people is all I need.” She said. 

Riku leaned over to Iori then. “If we help, we could keep an eye on things.” He suggested. Iori nodded, agreeing that it could be a good idea. And so, Iori and Riku both raised their hands. “We can help you, Vera.” Riku said with a polite smile. Seeing this, Tamaki also raised his hand, wanting to be with his friends. “Me too!” He said. 

Vera smiled at the three of them. “Perfect! Thank you, boys.” She said. “And there was one more thing. I wondered if any of you might be interested in providing some sort of entertainment tomorrow night? We’d like to show off what the students at this school can do.” She said. 

Sougo raised his hand then. “I can play the guitar. I could play a song or two if you’d like.” He offered. Vera looked pleased. “Sounds great.” She said. Then Nagi also raised his hand, a bit more enthusiastic. “Oh, I can do magic!” He said. 

“You can do magic? Since when?” Mitsuki asked Nagi, a skeptical smile on his face. Nagi rolled his eyes. “I had a magic phase when I was younger, learned a few tricks. If I get today and tomorrow to practice, I could show some easy tricks tomorrow night.” He explained. 

Vera smiled brightly and turned to Tsukumo. “How exciting! That sounds fabulous, no?” She asked, sounding really happy with this development. Tsukumo however, only rolled his eyes at the thought. “Whatever, as long as they behave.” He said. Vera nodded. “Then it’s decided. Thank you for your help everyone!” She said, and then left the students to their own devices. 

Once they were done, the five Sibuna members went up to Riku and Nagi’s room. Ever since he offered to do magic, Nagi had been giving them these looks that obviously meant he had something other than just performing a simple card trick planned. So once they were safely behind closed doors, they all turned to him. “You have an idea. What are you thinking?” Sougo asked his classmate. 

Nagi smirked at them all. “I may or may not have come up with an idea on how to get the amulet back from Tsukumo just now.” He declared proudly. The others looked at him in shock, disbelief and wonder. “Wait, seriously? You know how to get it back?” Riku asked enthusiastically. 

Nagi nodded. “I’ll use tomorrow night to do it. I’ll just do a little disappearing amulet trick! Magicians always ask for things from the people watching, audience participation and all that. I’ll take the amulet from Tsukumo, use it for my trick, it ‘disappears’, and voila! We have our amulet back!” He said. 

Riku and Tamaki looked excited while Iori and Sougo appeared more skeptical. “Are we sure that’s a good way to do it?” Iori asked. Nagi winked at him. “Allow me to demonstrate.” He said, holding out his hand, palm up, as if waiting for Iori to hand him something to do the trick with. Iori finally indulged him and handed over his wristwatch. 

Nagi pulled out a handkerchief and placed the watch inside. Then he did some fancy hand movements, blew on the little package, then placed it in front of him on the desk. The others looked at him with mixed reactions, some with wonder, some with more skepticism. Nagi then bent down and took off his shoe, and before anyone realized it, started hitting the package hard. 

Iori flinched and reached out, but Nagi only smirked. “And now… Voila!” He said, unfolding the handkerchief and revealing the broken pieces of the wristwatch. “Oh… That wasn’t supposed to happen.” He said, sounding a bit guilty. Iori gave him a look that said, ‘Really?’ and Nagi shrugged apologetically. 

“Look, I’m a bit rusty. But I’ll practice and I’ll get it right by tomorrow night!” Nagi promised then. Now they all looked a bit skeptic, but it wasn’t like any of them had a better plan. Riku sighed. “Fine, but you really need to get it right. If you still can’t do it by tomorrow night, then just leave it alone.” He said, and Nagi agreed. 

That afternoon, Sibuna took some time to sneak back into the tunnels as they weren’t sure they would have time to do it in a while, what with the preparations for the dinner. They wanted to check and make sure that they had not missed anything down there. Besides, they were kind of stuck on the reflectors front, and still had no idea where to look next. The dollhouse had been quiet since they found the mirror. 

However, something that they had done, was that Iori had already managed to translate some of the hieroglyphs in the zodiac. He now just had three out of twelve symbols left to go. Not that that helped all that much, it did narrow it down slightly, but they had to understand it first. And as they made their way through the tunnels, towards the new chamber, Iori tried to explain what he had come up with so far. 

“Okay so, I think I understand how the zodiac works, how it’s supposed to help us. There are six reflectors, and twelve symbols in the zodiac, which gives us two symbols to help us identify each reflector. Though, most symbols can have more than one meaning, so we have to figure that out to. But the way it works is that you take the two symbols opposite one another, and those two correspond to the same reflector.” He explained. 

“How do you know it’s the opposites? Couldn’t it be any combination?” Tamaki asked. Iori shrugged. “Well, I guess it could be that, but I’m going from what we know. The two symbols that I believe are clues to the reflector we already have are opposite of one another, so that’s why I think it works that way.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded. “Okay, and what were those symbols?” He asked then. Iori pulled out his phone and showed them so that all could see. “The symbols for mirror and music. In other words…” He started. Riku grinned and finished Iori’s explanation. “The mirror in the music box.” 

Iori nodded. “Exactly.” He said. “But like I said, the symbols are riddles in and of themselves, so we first have to figure them out. But if we do, we will know what the reflectors will be, which will make our search a lot easier.” He added. 

The five of them kept moving, and soon reached the new chamber. However, Riku stopped in the opening, his eyes wide with fear. Inside the room stood Senkhara, as if she had been waiting for them. The others just kept moving, which led Riku to believe that none of them saw her. 

“I suggest you hurry, child.” Said Senkhara, taking a menacing step towards Riku, who let out a low whimper in response. “Men have crossed the great white dessert at greater speed! Watch the time piece!” 

It was then that Iori seemed to notice Riku’s dilemma, and even if he couldn’t see the spirit, he could tell from Riku’s expression that she was there. “Leave him alone!” He yelled as he walked up to Riku and stood between Riku and the spot where he assumed Senkhara was. Riku gripped onto Iori’s hand like a lifeline and held on until Senkhara disappeared, then he relaxed against Iori’s back. 

“Rikkun, are you okay?” Tamaki asked as he walked up to his friends. Riku nodded and smiled weakly. “Yes, but Senkhara is getting impatient again. Hopefully we can find something down here.” He said. 

And so, they all started looking. Much to their delight, it was only a matter of minutes until one of them did make a discovery. “Guys, look over here!” It was Sougo who called out. He was standing by the wall on the left side of the room. 

They all went over to him and he pointed at an odd indentation in the wall. It had been painted in the same dark blue color as the rest of the room, which had made it hard to discover unless you stood really close. 

“Could it be…” Riku said, pulling out Sara’s locket from where it hung around his neck. He then pressed it against the indentation in the wall, but nothing happened. Riku stepped away, looking dejected. “I guess not. My locket doesn’t open it, so I guess it’s not like the oven or the hidden spaces in the attic.” He said. 

“Well, that’s not that weird, look.” Iori said then as he ran his finger along the rim of the indentation. “It’s not the same shape as your locket. It’s the shape of an amulet.” He clarified. Riku’s eyes widened. “Oh my god, you are right! An amulet must open… whatever this leads to!” He said. 

“Oh, me! Me! I want to try mine!” Tamaki exclaimed excitedly, pulling his amulet out and stepping up to the wall. He pressed it into the indentation, but again, nothing happened. “Bummer.” He said and stepped away, a pout on his lips. 

After that, they tried all of their amulets, and even had Riku try to use them all, in case it was something that only ‘The Chosen One’ could do. But alas, nothing happened. It was then that it dawned on them what the problem was. “Oh god. It’s Tsukumo’s amulet. That’s the one that opens this door.” Riku said. 

Iori nodded. “It makes sense. When Tamaki, Riku and I first found the amulets, we commented on how the animal symbol on each amulet corresponds to each one of the chambers in the tunnels. Tsukumo has the sixth amulet, which has a falcon on it.” He said. 

“A falcon… Like the reflectors?” Nagi asked and Iori nodded. “Exactly. Also, it’s the symbol for Horus, whose chamber this is.” Iori added. 

“So,” Riku started, turning to look at everyone. “Now it’s more important than ever that we get the amulet back.” He said, then they all turned to Nagi, who gave them a determined smile. “Don’t worry, I got it! I have a plan…” He said. 

You would think that finding valuable antiques that belonged to the Watanabes would be an easy feat when you lived in the house that was previously owned by the Watanabes. However, the task that Akihiko had given Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu had turned out to be a lot more difficult than either of them had expected. 

First of all, they couldn’t be too obvious about what they were doing. Tsukumo would most likely not appreciate it if he learned they wanted to trade something from the house for a gem and their previous housemother. Second, It was hard to determine whether something had really been owned by the Watanabes, it wasn’t like they wrote their names on all their possessions. And finally, even if they did find anything that had clearly belonged to the late family, it was either near impossible to move, such as the sarcophagus in the hall, or it didn’t appear to be valuable and rare enough that “The Collector” would be interested. 

They searched long and hard, and was just about to give up when Tenn recalled something. During the winter break, Riku had told him everything about their adventures last term, including his friendship with the now dead Watanabe Sara. Riku mentioned that she had even passed on a box of her belongings to Riku after her passing. 

Tenn dismissed the thought as soon as he got it. No matter what, he was not stealing from Riku. And even if the things had been Sara’s originally, they now belonged to Tenn’s brother. But then Tenn thought of Tsumugi, and how it was possible that something really, really bad had happened to her. Surely, Riku would understand that it was for a good cause. 

So, Tenn turned to Gaku and Ryuu and told them they should go check out Riku’s room. He didn’t want to have to explain everything about what had happened last term, so he came up with the excuse that Riku had mentioned finding some really cool stuff up in the attic, since they knew he had gone up there a few times. Tenn said that it could very well have belonged to the Watanabes and that he would personally explain to Riku if he asked what had happened to it. 

That was how the three friends now found themselves in the second floor hallway, knocking on the door to Riku and Nagi’s room. When no one answered, Tenn opened the door, figuring he could come up with some excuse if they were still there. Although, he figured they were busy preparing for the dinner that evening. Luckily, the room was empty, so he entered with Gaku and Ryuu in tow. 

They weren’t really sure where to start, at least not until Ryuu noted the dollhouse that stood in a corner of the room. “Hey, wasn’t that up in the attic when we first got back after the break? I remember it from that night we all went up there.” He said. 

Gaku nodded. “Right. If I’m not mistaken, I believe Yotsuba took it after Tsumugi started clearing out the attic.” He said. Tenn walked up to it then and started inspecting it closer. When he got to the back of the house, he noticed something interesting. “Guys, this belonged to Watanabe Sara. Her name is literally carved in wood.” He said. 

“Really?” Asked Ryuu. “Do you think that would work?” He asked. Gaku frowned in response. “I don’t know… A, do you really think The Collector would be interested in a toy? Even if it did belong to the Watanabe’s daughter. And B, surely they would notice immediately if we took it.” He said. 

Tenn stepped back, and right as he did, the dollhouse lit up and smoke started coming out of the chimney. “I don’t know about a normal toy, but what about one that lights up and smokes on its own?” He asked, staring in awe at the dollhouse. 

Gaku and Ryuu looked similarly stunned. “Did you do anything?” Ryuu asked, looking at Tenn. But Tenn only shook his head. “No! It did that on its own!” He exclaimed. “Well then,” started Gaku. “I think this might work.” 

After that, Tenn took a video showing the dollhouse smoking, as well as a ton of pictures showing all the little pieces of the dollhouse itself, including Sara’s name on the back. Tomorrow, they would show it to Akihiko and see if it would do. For now, they just left it as it were. 

That night, just as they had been informed, Sousuke, Gustav, Akihiko and three other people arrived at the house. Riku, Iori and Tamaki had helped Vera cook and set the table, and then also helped with serving. While the rest of the students had sat at a smaller table in the living room to eat, the three helpers had resigned to eating in the kitchen in between working. 

The dinner itself went smoothly, the food was delicious and conversation seemed to flow nicely. The other students left as soon as they had finished eating though, leaving the adults alone. With the exception of the Sibuna club. Iori, Riku and Tamaki were still in the kitchen, while Sougo and Nagi waited out in the hallway, preparing for their entertainment. 

A few hours earlier, Nagi had assured the others that he was fully prepared for tonight and that he was certain that the trick would be a success. They just had to trust him. So, in the end they had all agreed to let him go through with the plan. 

It was only a matter of time before Vera told Sougo to go in, seeing as he would play two or three songs before it was Nagi’s turn. The three first years watched and listened from the kitchen, waiting anxiously for Sougo to finish. None of them wanted to say it, but they were really nervous about Nagi’s plan to get the amulet back. Especially now that they knew that there was more reason to get it back than to just stop Tsukumo. 

Finally, after ten agonizing minutes of wait, Sougo was done and thanked the audience. From the kitchen, Riku felt sort of bad for not appreciating his friend’s performance more than he did, he had just been so nervous. But at least the dinner guests seemed pleased with the performance. 

Sougo then retreated to a corner of the room as Vera called Nagi in. As she did this, Riku followed Iori and Tamaki out into the dining room so that they could watch. Riku met eyes with Sougo as they entered, and he looked just as stiff and nervous as Riku himself felt. Then, Riku saw Nagi enter, and at least he was the one person who looked confident about their plan, which was a tad bit comforting. 

Nagi introduced himself and declared that he would like to demonstrate a few magic tricks. The dinner guests looked on in anticipation, with the exception of Tsukumo, who looked like he just wanted to get back to the conversation instead of having to sit through Nagi’s magic show. 

Nagi started with a simple card trick that went over really well. The guests found it entertaining, and even Tsukumo looked a little bit less grumpy. Gustav and Vera seemed to especially appreciate it, cheering and laughing throughout the entire thing. After that, Nagi did another small and simple trick. It went okay, though not as smoothly as the first one. Then he declared that he had one final trick to share with them that evening, and immediately the four Sibuna members tensed up. It was time. 

“For this next trick, I need some help from the audience.” Nagi declared with his usual charming smile plastered on his face. “I need an object, like a clock or a tie pin…” He started, then pretended to spot Tsukumo’s amulet for the first time. “Ah, this will do nicely! Thank you sir!” He said as he forcefully grabbed the amulet, taking Tsukumo by surprise. 

“Hey!” Tsukumo yelled and reached out to grab it back. Luckily for Nagi, Tsukumo was very conscious of how the others saw him though, and decided to back down. They had all seen Nagi take it, so Tsukumo could just demand it back afterwards. 

Nagi’s smile betrayed nothing as he pulled out a navy blue handkerchief from the pocket of his jacket. “Now, this is a trick I’d like to call the disappearing amulet.” He said, and then folded the handkerchief into a bag. “All you have to do is place the necklace into the bag.” Nagi added, holding up the amulet before placing it inside the handkerchief. Nagi then held the bundle up so that they all could see it and put it down on the table. 

“Now, for this next part I like to use a magic shoe.” Nagi said, bending down and using his one hand to untie and take off one of his shoes while the other hand still held onto the handkerchief. As he mentioned the shoe, Riku tensed up, and he was not the only one. After all, this was how Nagi had broken Iori’s watch just yesterday. 

Nagi held up his shoe and smiled triumphantly. “Now, all I have to do is give it a light tap.” He said, looking first at the shoe and then down at the package with the amulet. And then, he suddenly started banging on it as hard as he could, startling everyone in the room. 

When Nagi was done, he quickly put his shoe back on and then unfolded the handkerchief. When he poured out the contents, what came out where the broken pieces of the amulet he had put inside. Tsukumo stared at it, his face pale, while Vera and the other adults mostly looked shocked. Riku, Iori, Tamaki and Sougo mostly looked dejected. 

Then, suddenly Gustav Ziestack broke the silent spell by laughing out loud, making everyone turn to him. “Oh, you are brilliant! Don’t tell me, this was all prepared, right? You had an extra amulet that you switched, the real one must be hidden in your sleeve, right?” He said. 

Nagi’s eyes widened slightly and he smiled at Gustav, though to those who knew him, it was clear that Nagi’s smile was forced. “I-I don’t… Uhm, well… That was all from me! I hope you enjoyed the show!” He exclaimed, before trying to leave the room. It was clear to Riku then that Nagi was panicking. 

However, Tsukumo must have noticed the same thing, because he suddenly grabbed Nagi’s wrist and yanked him back. In doing so, a second blue handkerchief fell out of Nagi’s sleeve and hit the floor with a dunce, making it obvious that there was something in there. Nagi looked up and met Tsukumo’s eyes, and it was clear that they both knew what was in that bag. 

Tsukumo let go of Nagi’s arm and made to reach for the bundle. But Nagi, in one last desperate attempt to stop Tsukumo from getting his hands on the amulet again, stepped hard on the package before Tsukumo could reach it. There was a crack and then Tsukumo practically threw Nagi off. When he unfolded the second package, it revealed the now broken pieces of the second amulet. 

“Oh my…” Gustav said in shock. Tsukumo glared up at Nagi, who had now taken a couple of steps back. “I uhm… I’ll just go back to my room now… Bye!” He said, practically running out of the room and up the stairs. Riku followed Nagi then, and saw Iori, Tamaki and Sougo do the same. 

Tsukumo didn’t follow them, but they were certain that he would come for them once the guests had left. They were the only reason he had to stay relatively calm after all. 

The last one to make it to the room was Sougo, and once he had closed the door behind him, Riku was immediately on Nagi. “What happened just now? I thought you had it! I mean, it’s great that Tsukumo doesn’t have an amulet anymore, but now we’ll never know what that amulet opens up down in the tunnels, and-” He started, but was interrupted when Nagi placed both of his hands on Riku’s shoulders. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down!” He said and gave Riku a smile. Riku stopped ranting, took a deep breath and then looked at Nagi again. “What went wrong?” He asked again. However, Nagi only smirked and bent down to stick his hand in his sock. “Nothing went wrong. In fact, everything was just according to plan.” Nagi said, then he triumphantly pulled out a third amulet from his sock and handed it over to Riku. 

Riku took the amulet, his mouth hanging open in shock. He then looked up at Nagi again, disbelief written all over his face. “How? What?” Riku asked, not able to get out more than a word at a time. The others looked equally surprised and all looked to Nagi for an explanation. 

Nagi chuckled. “Look, if I just did a standard switch, Tsukumo would figure out sooner or later that we had the real amulet. If I’d given him back the fake amulet that he tricked us with a while back, he’d notice as soon as he went back to the tunnels. And he would know that we had the actual amulet. I knew that if I was going to get the amulet back AND get Tsukumo off our backs, then he needed to see two broken amulets.” He started explaining. 

“Basically, what I did was I made a copy of the copy using clay and paint, so that there were three amulet, two of which I already had. One, I wrapped up in a handkerchief and placed up one of my sleeves before I started, the other I left unwrapped and tucked up my other sleeve. When I was putting the amulet in the bag for all to see, I did my first switch. I switched the real amulet with the fake I had unwrapped, so that they would see me put one amulet into the bag.” 

Tamaki raised his hand then, the first to interrupt Nagi’s story. “So wait, at this point, the real amulet is up your sleeve, one fake is in the pouch and the other is in your other sleeve?” He asked. Nagi nodded, confirming this and then he kept going. 

“Right. And then, when I bent down to take off my shoe, I also tucked the real amulet inside my sock so it wouldn’t accidentally fall out. Then, like you saw, I smashed the fake amulet. So, now Tsukumo has seen one broken amulet, but like I said before, he needed to see two.” 

It was then that realization dawned on Riku’s face. “You planned to be found out from the start. You planned that Tsukumo and the others would realized you had switched the amulets all along!” He exclaimed. 

Nagi nodded, a proud smile on his face. “Exactly! I didn’t drop the second handkerchief by mistake, I let it fall. And before Tsukumo could reach it, I stomped on it as hard as I could, leaving Tsukumo with two broken amulets! Had they been whole, he might have noticed that they were both fake, but since they are broken into little pieces, it’s going to take a professional eye to tell the difference!” Nagi finished explaining. 

Riku grinned from ear to ear and enveloped Nagi in a hug then, a hug that the remaining three were quick to join. “And the actual amulet was safe with you the entire time! Nagi, you are absolutely brilliant!” Riku declared, making Nagi laugh and reciprocate the hug. 

When they all pulled away, Iori had one final question for Nagi. “But if this was your plan all along, why didn’t you say anything?” He asked. Nagi smirked. “I needed your candid reactions! Anything to make the illusion more believable.” He said, winking at them. And so, the night was a success, at least for Sibuna. They finally had their amulet back and could find out what was hidden down in the tunnels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally got the amulet back! Yay! It was about time... I'll be back on Saturday with the next chapter of this story, so look forward to that! ;) Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they have the amulet back, Sibuna can finally see what it leads to down in the tunnels. Meanwhile, Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu show Akihiko the dollhouse, and Vera and Tsukumo try to restore the broken amulets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with the new chapter, please enjoy it! ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

After all of the guests had left the House of Anubis, Tsukumo and Vera headed upstairs to Tsukumo’s office together. They had gathered up all the broken pieces of the amulets and they were currently laying on the desk. Tsukumo sighed and stared down at them. “Those blasted kids. If it wasn’t for the fact that they failed and lost the amulet completely, I would storm in there right now.” He declared, looking irritated.

Vera gave Tsukumo’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I understand that this is annoying, but it’s nothing more than a temporary setback. Tell you what, why don’t I go to the person who made the fake amulet in the first place and see if he can put these two back together. He should also be able to tell us which is which.” She suggested. 

Tsukumo considered the idea, and then gave Vera a nod. “I guess that would be the easiest way. Though we don’t know if the amulet will work when it’s put back together.” He said. Vera smiled at him. “Only time will tell. But this will be good, because no way are those kids expecting us to fix the amulets.” She said. 

Tsukumo nodded. “Yeah, that’s something at least. I’ll leave the amulets to you then. And don’t worry about the children, I’ll make sure they get what’s coming for them in the morning.” He said. 

Vera nodded and then took the broken pieces of the amulets. Then she left Tsukumo’s office. It was late now, so she would have to wait until tomorrow until she could take the broken pieces to Akihiko. Hopefully, he would be able to fix the amulets and tell them apart. 

The next morning, Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu left the House of Anubis much earlier than usual. They wanted to get to the Watanabe Library by the time Akihiko arrived there and show him the pictures and the video of the dollhouse as soon as possible. Hopefully, it would be enough to trade for Tsumugi and the gem. 

The three of them arrived just in time, as just as they saw the library in the distance, they also saw Akihiko walking up to and unlocking the front door. Tenn cast a glance Gaku and Ryuu’s way, the three had a silent conversation that ended in a nod, and then all three started running towards the curator. “Akihiko-san!” They called out in unison. 

The older man turned around, startled. When he saw who it was that approached, he relaxed and waved them early. “You boys are here early, did you run into any problems?” He asked, a slightly worried tone to his voice. 

Tenn shook his head. “Not really, but we think we might have found something to trade with, and wanted to show you before we grab it.” He explained. Akihiko seemed shocked at that, he probably had not expected them to find something so soon. “Okay, let’s see it then, what did you find?” He asked. 

“A dollhouse.” Tenn said seriously, but it seemed like Akihiko wasn’t convinced. “A dollhouse you say? I’m not sure if that is the kind of objects The Collector would want…” He admitted. Tenn smirked and pulled out his phone. “Even if it does this?” He asked and showed Akihiko the video of the dollhouse lighting up and smoking. 

When Akihiko didn’t say anything, instead just stood there and stared at the screen, Gaku took it upon himself to explain further. “By the way, we didn’t do anything to that dollhouse. It started smoking and light up all by itself. Also, it belonged to Watanabe Sara, her name is carved on the back.” He said. 

Akihiko nodded then. “Yes… This might work. In fact, I think this might be perfect.” He said, giving the three boys a pleased smile. “Tell you what, send that video and any pictures you might have to me. I will forward them to The Collector, see if he is interested, and suggest an exchange. In the meantime, I want you to just keep an eye on it. Don’t take it or move it until we know for sure if it will cut the deal. But if you learn any new information about it, don’t hesitate to tell me, the more The Collector knows, the more tempted he may be.” Akihiko explained. 

Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu all nodded. “So, now we just wait and keep an eye on things?” Ryuu asked, and Akihiko agreed. “Exactly that, we lay low.” He said. “We can do that.” Tenn said, making Akihiko smile appreciatively. “Thank you for this. And I’m sorry you got involved in this mess.” He said. 

After that, the three friends left the library. They initially started heading for school, but since their visit to the library hadn’t taken as long as they thought, it was still really early. This meant that they might have time to get a proper breakfast back at the house before school. They had originally just grabbed some fruit that morning, since they didn’t want to waste time. 

On their way back to the house, they saw the rest of the residents leave for school. Tenn turned to Gaku and Ryuu then. “Guys, if they’re gone, that means we will have time to check out the dollhouse real quick!” He said. 

The other two seemed a bit reluctant, but agreed that they could take a quick peek. Akihiko had rold them to see if they could figure anything else out regarding the odd contraption. So, that is what they did. Just like yesterday, the dollhouse stood on its table in the corner of the room. But alas, the three of them didn’t have enough time to figure anything new out. They also got a bit careless, seeing as they left the dollhouse standing askew on the table in their rush to make it to school afterwards. 

It was one of those days when the second years ended their school day at the same time as the first years, and so, all of Sibuna was walking back to the house together. Meanwhile, they were trying to figure out the different symbols in the zodiac. And Riku may have an idea about one of the reflectors. 

“Guys, look at this.” He said and pointed at the picture of the zodiac on his phone. “This symbol here is a cup, and opposite that is an ankh, so couldn’t one of the reflectors be the Cup of Ankh?” He suggested. 

However, Iori shook his head, skeptical that that was the case. “I don’t think that would be the case. The Cup of Ankh is too important of a relic to be used for a task, it also means that you would have to have found the cup before the tunnels, and I really doubt they were connected. Then there’s the fact that we know the Cup of Ankh was the final relic the Watanabes brought back, but since they had time to make a replica of the Mask of Anubis, it’s likely that it was brought back earlier. And finally, I don’t remember seeing a falcon symbol anywhere on the Cup of Ankh.” He explained. 

Riku pouted. “Okay, I guess that idea was shot down then.” He said, sounding a bit disappointed. Iori smiled apologetically and grabbed Riku’s hand. “It wasn’t a bad idea, I can understand why you would think that. Also, I may have another idea about what this particular combination of symbols might be referring to.” He said. 

They all turned to Iori then. “You do? Way to go, Iorin!” Tamaki explained, giving his friend a thumbs up. “What do you think it is?” Asked Sougo. “I think it may be a medicine cup. The Ankh is also an ancient symbol of medicine, after all. And I think the cup symbol is literal.” He explained. 

“Hmm, a medicine cup… Any idea where in the house that would be?” Nagi asked, looking thoughtful. “Well, I doubt it’s in the medical cabinets around the house. Those are all new and hold nothing but bandaids and different pills.” Iori said. “Maybe we just wait for another sign from the dollhouse?” Riku suggested, and the others nodded in agreement. 

It was around that time that the group of friends reached Anubis House. But just as they were about to enter, they stopped in their tracks. There was conversation coming from inside. They soon recognized it as Vera’s voice, and her conversation sounded awfully one-sided. She must be on the phone. They didn’t mean to eavesdrop, and yet, that is what they ended up doing. 

“I’m afraid we haven’t made much progress since the last time we talked… No, Tsukumo lost his amulet, so we can’t go back into the tunnels… Yes, yes, I know! I’m dealing with it! I’ll make sure we get our hands on that mask, one way or another… Tsukumo? No, he doesn’t suspect a thing. It helps that he’s so fond of me, the thought that I could be a double agent probably hasn’t even crossed his mind… Okay, was that all? Bye then.” 

Riku turned to look at his friends, they all wore similar distressed expressions. “Vera’s working with Tsukumo? I mean, I guess that makes sense, now that I think about it…” Nagi said. “But that’s not all, she’s clearly working for someone else as well! She double-crossing Tsukumo!” Riku exclaimed. 

“Is that bad?” Asked Tamaki. “I mean, what do we care if Tsukumo gets betrayed?” He asked. Riku nodded. “It’s actually really bad. It means that there are now three parties after the mask! Us, Tsukumo and the one Vera works for. More competition is never good.” He explained. 

“Oh, that would be bad, yeah.” Tamaki said. “Well,” started Iori. “At least now we know what’s going on. We will need to keep an eye on both Vera and Tsukumo. And keep the amulets close, we can’t let them get one again. Remember, as long as we have all six amulets, there is no other way to enter the tunnels. Meaning, we’re the only ones who can reach the mask right now.” He said. 

They all nodded at that, and then they finally headed inside. However, when they got upstairs to Nagi and Riku’s room, they got a second surprise. 

Riku stopped in the doorway, surprising the others. “What’s wrong?” Iori asked. “The dollhouse. Someone moved it.” Riku said, walking inside the room and over to where the dollhouse was stood. “He’s right.” Said Nagi. “It’s askew, and further out from the wall than it was when we left this morning.” 

Riku rushed up to it and started checking the inside and the secret drawer. “Everything is still inside at least.” He said, which made them all feel relieved. “You don’t suppose it was Vera? I mean, she could easily come in here and look around, saying she was just cleaning.” Sougo suggested. 

Riku shrugged. “Maybe, but there’s not really any way of knowing. Either way, I think we should move the dollhouse somewhere safer. We can’t lose it, not now.” He said. Nagi walked up to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “We could hide it in our closet? We have a key to it and all, so we can lock it up whenever we’re not in the room.” He suggested. 

After some thought, Riku nodded. “Yeah, let’s do that.” He said. And so, all of Sibuna helped move the dollhouse from the table to the closet. Nagi had the key, so he would be able to lock it in whenever they left. At least it was more secure there than on a table out in the open. 

Vera walked into Tsukumo’s office, holding a small package in her hands. “Is that them? The amulets? Are they done already?” Tsukumo asked in anticipation. Vera nodded. “Yes, and I have good news and bad news.” She said. Tsukumo waited for her to go on. 

“The good news is that both amulets could be restored, and my acquaintance could tell whether they were fake or not.” Vera started, and Tsukumo looked very pleased to hear this. But when Vera continued, the smile slowly melted away. “The bad news is that both the amulets are fake.” She said, laying the package down on the desk. 

Tsukumo opened the package to see the amulets for himself as Vera kept explaining. “One of them he recognized as his own forgery, and the other… Well, just look at it. It’s clearly fake, and not even that good of a fake.” She said. 

Tsukumo did look at the amulets. One looked like the actual amulet, which he guessed was the professional forgery, but the other looked a bit like a child’s arts and crafts project. He shook his head. “But when it was in pieces, we wouldn’t have been able to tell, even if it was a bad fake.” He said and Vera nodded. 

Tsukumo sighed. “Those kids played us good. They must still have the actual amulet.” He said. Again, Vera nodded. “Yes, it was quite clever. Had it not been for my acquaintance, we probably would have gone on to think that both the real and the fake amulets had been destroyed. Those children are smarter than I gave them credit for.” She said. 

“Right…” Tsukumo said, then he looked up at Vera, his gaze determined. “This doesn’t change what has to be done. We need to be able to get back in the tunnels. It’s just a matter of time.” He said. “Of course.” Vera agreed. “That mask will be ours in the end.” 

Sibuna were back in the tunnels once more. The search for whatever medicine cup might be another reflector was temporarily put on hold. For now, they wanted to find out what happened when they used the spare amulet down in the tunnels. There was always a chance that Tsukumo would figure them out and try to take it back, so they wanted to do this as quickly as possible. 

Once they got to the chamber, they wasted no time and immediately went up to the wall where the indentation was. They all turned to Riku then, as they had decided that he should do it. Since he was the Chosen One, it was more likely that anything would happen if he did it. 

Riku pulled out the sixth amulet and then gingerly pressed it against the indentation in the wall. At first, nothing happened. Then they heard some mechanism starting up, gears creaking and turning, and then the wall opened up, revealing a new pathway. 

For a minute, all they did was stand there and stare down the new path. Riku was the first to speak up. “So, it’s a new tunnel. Great, just what we needed.” He said with a sigh. “I don’t understand…” Iori said, shaking his head. “There was no other tunnel on the map. Just the way forward, into the chamber of the mask. This is something different.” He said. 

Tamaki stepped forward then, and leaned into the new tunnel. “So, the amulet led to a tunnel that is not on the map. Why do you think it’s not on there?” He asked. “There could be many reasons.” Said Sougo. “Like what?” Asked Tamaki. 

“Well, for starters, it’s possible this tunnel was built after the map was drawn.” Nagi speculated. “It’s also possible it was built by someone else, and Watanabe Ritsu never knew it existed. Or I guess it’s just a tunnel that was meant to be secret.” He continued to suggest. 

“Maybe…” Riku started. “Maybe it leads to something that will help with the task.” He suggested. “Maybe…” Iori agreed with a slight nod. “Or it might lead outside.” He said. 

That got all of their attention. “Outside? Like, back to the surface?” Nagi asked. Iori nodded. “What if Watanabe Ritsu needed a way to get to the end of the tunnels quickly, without having to clear all the tasks. From the inside, you need an amulet to open it, but maybe you don’t from wherever this tunnel leads.” He explained. 

“So, it’s like insurance? To make sure there was another way down here?” Asked Sougo. Again, Iori nodded. “It would make sense, right? Still, we won’t know until we try, so… Should we see where it leads?” He asked. 

They all nodded, and then they started moving down the dark, narrow path together. The tunnel was clearly not made for more than one person, so they had to move in a single file. Iori was leading them, followed closely by Riku, then Sougo, then Tamaki, and finally Nagi. They kept moving for three, maybe four minutes, the path kept going upwards and upwards. And then they saw something. A light. 

It was a hatch that started at the ground and went up to Iori’s knees. It was made out of some sort of grid, so there was quite a bit of light seeping through.Iori knelt down, and there was just enough room that Riku could fit beside him. So, while the two of them watched, the remaining three stood behind them. 

Looking out through the grid, Iori and Riku recognized the place on the other side almost immediately. It was the Watanabe Library. The tunnels had taken them so far away from the house, they really stretched out all the way to the library. But if this was an emergency entrance, it made sense that it led here, seeing as it was another building that the Watanabes had owned. 

Iori and Riku were just about to open the hatch but then they stopped. Akihiko was still in the library, and it looked like he was about to close it up. Iori quickly turned his head around and held his finger up over his mouth, signalling to the others to be silent. Then he turned back to keep watching. 

The door to the library opened, and some really unexpected people entered. It was Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu. “Tenn-nii?” Riku asked, causing Iori to clamp a hand over his mouth and shush him. “No one can find this tunnel.” Iori mouthed, and Riku nodded. 

In the library, the three other students walked up to Akihiko. “You called us over? Is there any development?” Gaku asked. Akihiko nodded, his expression serious. “I got a response. We’re good to go.” He said. 

Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn all stiffened up at that. “So, we can just go ahead and do it now?” Tenn asked. “Yes, but you have to be careful. No one can find out about this, or there will be consequences.” Akihiko said. 

Riku frowned and turned to Iori, but Iori’s eyes were locked on the scene before him. “Don’t worry, we know how serious this is. We’ll let you know as soon as we have it.” Gaku said and nodded at Akihiko, who smiled gratefully. “Good luck. I’m counting on you three.” He said. After that, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn all left the library. Akihiko finished clearing out, and then he left as well. 

As soon as they were gone, Riku sat up on his knees and pushed the hatch open. It was a bit stuck, but with enough force, it opened just like a door. Albeit, a very low door. Then, one by one, they crawled out from what they soon realized looked like an air duct on ground level, and found themselves in the Watanabe Library. 

Iori, who still looked stunned after what they overheard, sat himself down in the nearest chair and buried his face in his hands. Riku walked up to him, concern written all over his face. “Are you okay?” He asked. 

Iori sighed. “I don’t know.” He admitted. “What were they talking about? It sounded like Akihiko-san got them involved in something dangerous. But he wouldn’t, would he? I mean, he’s like one of the kindest men I know… He’s like family.” He said. 

Riku smiled bitterly and knelt before Iori, letting his chin rest upon Iori’s knees as he looked up at him. “I don’t know what they were talking about. But I trust Akihiko-san. And I definitely trust Tenn-nii. Even Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san, they are our friends, and I don’t believe they would do anything bad. We just heard a conversation out of context, let’s not be too quick to jump to conclusions, okay?” He said. 

Iori listened to what Riku had to say, and then he nodded. “I guess you’re right… Yeah, we’ll just… have to trust them.” He said. Riku smiled, nodded, and then stood up and walked over to the others. Iori soon joined them, but he couldn’t get that conversation out of his mind. He had a bad feeling about it. 

After having discovered the secret tunnel that connected the tunnels and the Watanabe Library, Sibuna had gone back to the house. It wasn’t what they had expected, but they were quite excited about the new secret entrance into the tunnel. It gave them another point of entry, they no longer needed the cellar to be empty for them to do so. But it was also a risk, if Tsukumo or Vera found out its existence, they would no longer need to get an amulet. 

And so, the next day, they all gathered together for breakfast. However, Iori was distracted. He would space out and pick at his food, and every once in a while, he would cast worried glances over at Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu. It was only a matter of time until one of them noticed his odd behaviour. 

“What’s your problem?” Tenn asked, frowning at Iori. Iori opened his mouth to respond, but couldn’t think of anything to say. “It’s nothing.” He said in the end, and averted his gaze. Riku gave him a sympathetic look and grabbed his hand, making Tenn scoff and turn away. While he was no longer vocally expressing his displeasure with their relationship, his opinion was still clear. 

Iori then excused himself and left the table, he couldn’t take it anymore. He told Riku that he needed to do something and would meet him in class. Riku nodded, but he kept looking after Iori in concern until he could no longer see him. 

Once out of the house, Iori did not head towards the school, he headed for the library. He just couldn’t get what he overheard last night out of his head. He knew that if he was going to let this go, he needed to confront Akihiko about it. He needed to know that he could trust him. 

Iori was relieved to find Akihiko, and only Akihiko, already at the library when he got there. So, he entered and then called out to make his presence known. “Oh, Iori! What brings you here so early?” Akihiko asked once he saw Iori, sounding happy and free of troubles. Iori hesitated then, he couldn’t believe that Akihiko would do anything bad, so perhaps he should take Riku’s advice and trust that nothing was wrong. But no, he needed to be sure. 

Iori forced a smile on his face and walked up to his friend. “Good morning, Akihiko-san. I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, I just had something I wanted to ask you about.” Iori said. Akihiko nodded. “Well, ask away! I’ll help you in any way I can.” He answered happily. 

Iori took a deep breath, he decided it was probably best to just do it, rip the bandaid off quickly. And so, he just asked him. “Last night, you were talking to Yaotome-san, Tsunashi-san and Nanase-san. What was that all about?” 

Akihiko stiffened up, and Iori could tell that it wasn’t the kind of question he had been expecting, nor did it seem like he was all that excited to answer it. “How did you know about that?” Akihiko asked. 

Iori looked down at the floor, unable to meet his friend’s eyes at the moment. “I’m sorry… I just- I was walking by last night and I just happened to overhear you is all. They left the door open a smidge. I’m sorry if I’m wrong, but it sounded like… Like you were doing something bad! And I wanted to hear it from you, because I want to trust you and believe in you!” He said. 

Akihiko sighed and walked up to Iori, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Well, I’m sorry you overheard that, and that I worried you. Thank you for coming to me with your questions instead of just assuming something bad. I really do appreciate that. And I will tell you, just… You have to promise that this stays between us, okay?” He said. 

Iori looked up and nodded eagerly then, he probably would still end up telling Riku, but he knew his boyfriend could keep a secret, and it wasn’t like Akihiko had to know. Then Akihiko started. “The truth is…” 

Akihiko averted his gaze, he hated doing this, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He lied to Iori. “There’s been another theft. A small protective statue, kind of like the ancient egyptian version of a garden gnome. Last time it became such a big deal that I wanted to try and deal with this on my own. If the school board or Gustav Ziestack finds out that a second theft has happened under my watch, I’ll lose my job! Yaotome-san and his friends found out and offered to help me look for it. We found out who took it, and now we have to bargain to get it back.” He said. 

Iori’s eyes widened. “That is… quite serious. Are you sure you don’t need any more help? I mean, I could-” Iori started but Akihiko interrupted him. “No!” He yelled, catching Iori off-guard. “I just… I don’t want you to get involved in this. Just in case it’s dangerous. I care too much. So please, Iori, just leave this to me. I’m glad you want to help, but you have to let me take care of this. So, just pretend like nothing happened.” He said. 

Iori sighed, but nodded anyway. “Okay, I get it. But if you ever do need more help, you know we would come for you, right?” He said. Akihiko smiled and nodded. “I know. And I am so happy to have you and your brother.” He said. 

Iori smiled. “Well, I guess maybe I should go then. But good luck with the ‘egyptian garden gnome’. I hope you get it back soon.” He said and stood up, heading for the door. “Thank you, Iori.” Akihiko said, and then waved as Iori left. Iori felt a lot better now, he was glad he went to ask Akihiko about it. 

Once he was alone again, Akihiko sighed and collapsed into his chair. He opened the drawer of his desk, and inside lay the little skulpture he had told Iori had been stolen. Akihiko had been dusting it off before Iori got there. For now, he would keep it in the drawer, otherwise, Iori might realize it was all a lie. And for his own best, it was important that didn’t happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! I really hope you guys liked it and that you're still enjoying this story. I'll be back with a new chapter on Monday, so stay tuned! Thank you for reading, and also if you leave kudos or comments! <3


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for the reflectors continue, but during it, Sibuna make a startling realization. And for Akihiko, the time to exchange the dollhouse for Tsumugi is approaching quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you will like it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Going to talk to Akihiko had been the right decision. Iori was so happy he had heard him out and that what he had overheard wasn’t what it sounded like. He was still a bit concerned about his old friend, but he was glad that he was getting help, even though it wasn’t from him. But now that his worries were gone, Iori had at least been able to focus on more important things, such as school and the reflectors. And after school, as he and Riku found themselves in the kitchen, he told his boyfriend all about his talk with Akihiko that morning.

“That really sucks… How is Akihiko-san handling it? Did he seem okay to you?” Riku asked in concern as Iori finished his explanation. Iori shrugged, he honestly wasn’t sure himself. “Well, he seemed stressed and worried, but I think he tried to hide it so I wouldn’t worry… It would make sense if he felt like that though, I mean, it’s the second theft. His job could really be on the line here…” He said. 

Riku nodded in understanding, then he leaned in closer and whispered to Iori. “You don’t think Vera and Tsukumo could be behind this one too, do you? I mean, they were the ones who took the ox-bell, after all…” He suggested. 

Iori furrowed his brows and shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, I know that they did steal the ox-bell, but that doesn’t automatically mean that they are behind this theft too… Also, I just don’t know what they would need an egyptian garden gnome for.” He said. 

At that, Riku started chuckling, making Iori raise an eyebrow in question. “What?” He asked, a small smile forming on his face. Riku shook his head and smiled up at Iori. “It’s just… A garden gnome? I know that is the comparison that Akihiko-san made, but just imagine an ancient egyptian society, with pyramids and temples and all. And now imagine just that but with garden gnomes.” He said, making both himself and Iori burst out laughing from the image. 

It was then that the door to the kitchen burst open. Tamaki entered the kitchen and just stared at his friends. For a moment, Iori and Riku tried to collect themselves, but then their eyes met, and out came more laughter. “What? What’s so funny?” Tamaki asked, giving them both a confused look. 

“Egyptian garden gnome…!” Riku exclaimed, and then he kept laughing. Tamaki didn’t get it, but he let that go, glad to just see his friends having fun. “Well, that’s great… I guess. But anyway, you need to calm down now, because I need to tell you guys something.” He said. 

Iori and Riku took a minute then to just calm themselves down, sensing that Tamaki seemed to be in a rather serious mood. “What’s up, Yotsuba-san? Is something the matter?” Asked Iori once he had recovered from his laughing fit. “Well, nothing’s wrong really, but we have a new clue from the dollhouse.” Tamaki answered, now looking more excited than serious. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “A new clue? Like what? Did the dolls move into the same room again?” He asked. Tamaki smiled and nodded. “Yep, they sure did! And guess where they are now.” He said, a smirk on his face. Riku rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, where?” He asked, impatient to find out where they needed to look next. 

Tamaki’s smile widened. “In the kitchen. There’s a reflector in this very room!” He said. 

Immediately, Iori and Riku dropped what they were doing and started looking around the room. None of them really discussed it, instead they all just started searching the room for anything that could possibly be a reflector. They looked through drawers and cupboards, anything that might hold the reflector they were looking for. And for the longest time, they could not find anything that could be it. 

However, as Riku was checking the cupboard with all the house’s drinking glasses and cups, he soon found something that was a bit strange. In the left corner of the cabinet, at the very back, there was a goblet that was one-of-a-kind. It was entirely made out of glass and had a relatively high, white, cloudy foot. The top of it was red and covered in these different symbols. 

Riku picked it up and spun it around in his hands. On closer inspection, Riku realized that the symbols looked like hieroglyphics. On one side there was the symbol for ankh, leading Riku to believe that it was a medicinal cup. And as he spun it around, he spotted what he was searching for. Another one of the symbols was exactly the same kind of falcon as the one on the mirror they had already found. 

With a bright smile on his face, Riku turned over to Iori and Tamaki. “Guys, I found it! Look at this!” He said and showed them the goblet he had found. Iori took it from him and studied it closely. “Yes! This is definitely it, it has the falcon symbol on it.” He said, smiling triumphantly. Riku rolled his eyes. “I know, that’s why I said I found it! This has got to be the reflector that the cup and the ankh symbols in the zodiac represents. I mean, it has got the ankh symbol on it, and it is a cup!” He said. 

“Way to go, Rikkun!” Tamaki exclaimed then, and gave Riku a high five. Iori nodded. “Yeah, this really is a great find! Now we have two reflectors, which means there are only four more to go.” He said. Riku smiled and nodded in agreement. Even though it wasn’t the fastest, they were still making progress, every new find bringing them just a little bit closer to their end goal, the Mask of Anubis. 

Ever since Akihiko had told them that the deal had been made, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn had been on the lookout for the best possible opportunity to take the dollhouse to the curator. They obviously couldn’t take it while Riku and Nagi were in the room, or anyone else for that matter. Akihiko had been very clear that he did not want to involve anyone else in this mess. 

So far, they had not had any luck with that though. And the more time passed, the worse they were feeling about what they were about to do. 

Feeling especially bad was Tenn, after all, the dollhouse did belong to his brother. In fact, on multiple occasions Tenn had considered just going up to Riku and telling him about this mess. Then, he would ask him to give them the dollhouse, it would have been so much easier than all this sneaking around. However, every time he thought of it, he also decided against it. First of all, because there was no guarantee that he would give it to them even if Tenn asked. And second of all, which was also the biggest reason, he didn’t want to involve his brother in anything that was potentially dangerous. 

That afternoon, however, they might have found their chance at last. When they got back to the house, they quickly found out that Riku was in the kitchen with Iori and Tamaki, while the second years still hadn’t gotten home yet. It may be a bit too risky to bring it out of the house with them in there, but it was possible they could move it somewhere it would be easier to come back to. So that, the next time they moved it, they wouldn’t have to sneak into Riku and Nagi’s room. And so, they sneaked up the stairs and over to Nagi and Riku’s room. 

But as they reached the bedroom, something was off. The table that the dollhouse previously stood on was now empty. The dollhouse was gone. “What? Where is it?” Gaku asked, walking over to the table. “It was here last time.” Ryuu said, shaking his head as if he couldn’t quite believe it. 

“Did someone else take it? But Riku didn’t seem alarmed or anything, so does he know it’s not here anymore?” Tenn asked. Gaku and Ryuu both looked lost, it was clear that none of them knew what to think. However, they didn’t want to risk staying in there any longer. Not when someone could come in and see them any second. They wouldn’t have a good excuse if they were found. 

And so, the three of them left feeling confused and a bit put on the spot. What were they supposed to do now? Without that dollhouse, how were they going to get Tsumugi and the gem back? On their way back, they stopped outside of Tsukumo’s office. 

“This is bad, right? Where is the dollhouse?” Ryuu asked, looking nervous. “It’s not like we know, someone must have moved it. If we can’t find that dollhouse, we’ll have to find something else to trade.” Gaku said. 

That was when Tenn spotted something inside Tsukumo’s office. In one corner stood a cardboard box filled with some random trinkets, but one of the things sticking out the top looked like an old porcelain doll. “If not a dollhouse, what about a doll?” He suggested, then he carefully opened the door to the empty office. 

Tenn got the doll out of the box and showed it to his friends. “You really think a doll can compete with a magical dollhouse?” Gaku asked skeptically. Tenn frowned and started checking the doll out more closely. When he lifted the skirt, he saw that there was something written on the leg, the name ‘Sara’. 

Tenn showed this to Gaku and Ryuu. “Well, I don’t know if it’s as good as the dollhouse, but it did belong to Watanabe Sara.” He said. Ryuu took the doll then and turned it over in his hands. And that was when he spotted something else. “Look, it has one of those strings attached to the back! Maybe it talks or something when you pull it?” He suggested with a smile. “Try it then.” Gaku said, though he did not sound convinced that this doll would do the trick. 

Ryuu pulled the string at the back, and immediately the doll started speaking in the voice of a little girl. _“An athenaeum is the place to look, lift the wings to find the book, hidden in this book of old, water of life and tears of gold.”_

For a minute, they all three just stared at the toy. “Okay, that was strange.” Gaku admitted. “Strange enough to replace the dollhouse?” Ryuu asked. Tenn shrugged. “Not sure, but I think it’s worth a shot. It would save us a lot of trouble, and it would mean I wouldn’t have to steal from my own brother.” He said. 

Gaku and Ryuu shared a look, and then nodded. “Okay, let’s show this to Akihiko-san, see if it will do for The Collector. If not, we’ll just have to find the dollhouse again.” Tenn said, and again Gaku and Ryuu nodded in answer. And so they took the doll and left. 

Once Sougo and Nagi got back from school, Riku, Iori and Tamaki immediately showed them the medicine goblet that they found. The two second years were ecstatic that they had found a second reflector while they were gone. With all the excitement, they wanted to try it out, to see how the light would bend when they added a second reflector. So, they decided to head back into the tunnels to try it. 

However, on the way down, they stopped in their tracks when they saw something strange going on in the living room. Inside, behind one of the sofas, Mitsuki and Yamato were setting up cameras. “Nii-san, what are you doing?” Iori asked, giving his brother a confused look. 

Mitsuki chuckled and patted the top of the camera. “School project. We’re supposed to write an essay about everyday life for students at boarding schools. We figured we could do a video project to go with it for extra credit. So, we asked Tsukumo for permission to set up some cameras.” Mitsuki explained. 

“You’re setting up cameras? You’re not putting them in the bathroom, right?” Tamaki asked, looking flustered. At that, Yamato broke out laughing. “Don’t worry, no cameras in the bathroom! Just the one in here directed towards the hallway, and another one directed towards the dining room, then another one in the kitchen, and finally one in our own bedroom.” Yamato explained. 

Sougo raised an eyebrow at that. “Is that why you asked me if it was okay if you used me for a school project?” He asked. Yamato and Mitsuki smiled sheepishly at him then. “Yeah… We wanted to have one in an actual dorm room. You don’t mind, do you?” Mitsuki asked. 

Sougo shook his head. “No, it’s fine. It’s for a school project, so do what you have to. Do you know how long you will need to keep the cameras up?” He then asked. “For about two days. We’re only supposed to make the project about one day, but if we keep them up for two we’ll have more options to pick from.” Mitsuki said with a wink. 

Sougo nodded. “Okay, cool. Good luck then!” He said before following the others into the kitchen. Once in there, they all looked around real quick. When they found nothing, they all relaxed. “Good, they haven’t set up the camera in here yet. Akihiko-san should still be at the library for about an hour, so we can’t enter that way right now. We might have to exit that way though, we really don’t want to end up getting caught on camera.” Iori said. 

And so, with the coast clear, they all headed into the cellar. Once they reached the chamber with the pedestals, they wasted no time in getting the two reflectors out and placing them on the first and second pedestals. Immediately, the reflectors bent the light, which now shone upon the third pedestal. “Whoa, that is so cool. Even if I knew what was going to happen, it seriously looks awesome.” Tamaki said. 

Iori and Nagi walked up to the pedestals and grabbed one reflector each. “Well, now that that’s done, should we head back? Maybe we can even make it back before Nii-san and Nikaido-san puts up the kitchen camera.” Iori suggested. Nagi nodded. “Yeah, it would be nice not to have to wait for Akihiko-san to leave the library.” He said. 

They all agreed to go back to the house, but as they were leaving, Riku noticed something strange. “Guys, wasn’t the sun and the moon on that wall farther away from each other before?” He asked and pointed at the wall that was decorated with a moon and a sun. 

The others walked up to the wall and looked at what Riku had discovered. “You’re right, they’re definitely moving closer, and it’s not just a little bit. How did we not notice this before?” Iori asked. Riku shook his head. “I guess we didn’t think it was important. But why are they moving?” He asked. 

Then Tamaki leaned in closer to the wall and placed his ear against it. “Be quiet you guys! Listen, it’s… ticking, or something.” He said. The others became silent then and just listened, and sure enough, there was a ticking sound coming from inside the wall. “It’s a clock.” Nagi declared. “It’s a big clock.” 

“Oh no…” Riku said, taking a step back. “I think it’s given us a deadline. When the two celestial bodies meet, the time to finish the task might run out.” He said. “Okay, that’s really not good.” Tamaki said, and Riku nodded. 

“How much time do you think we have left?” Sougo asked, looking troubled. “Well,” started Iori. “I’m guessing the clock started when we first entered this room, and that was a little over a week ago. Since then, the clock has moved almost two thirds of the way, so my guess is that we have around four days left to finish this task.” He said. 

“Four days to find four reflectors? That’s not a lot…” Tamaki observed. Iori nodded. “Yeah, it is way less than I would have hoped for. We’ll have to keep looking tonight, we can’t stop now.” He said. Riku nodded. “Yeah, if we fail after getting this far, it just wouldn’t be fair. We have to find those reflectors. And soon.” 

When Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu showed up at the Watanabe Library, Akihiko was already waiting outside. They were a bit nervous, considering they didn’t have the dollhouse with them, they just hoped the talking doll was enough. Akihiko must have seen the lack of dollhouse, as the moment he spotted the three of them, he tensed up. 

“What happened? Where is the dollhouse?” Akihiko asked in concern. “We’re really sorry.” Ryuu said, then he looked at Gaku and Tenn, who just motioned for him to go on. “When we went to find it, it was gone. Someone moved it and we don’t know where.” He explained. 

Akihiko sighed and his shoulders sagged. “That’s not good… But it’s not your fault, I’ll just have to call The Collector and reschedule. We were supposed to meet tonight, but I might be able to give you another day or two, do you think you could find it then?” He asked. 

Tenn cleared his throat to get Akihiko’s attention. “You might not have to reschedule. Gaku, show him.” He said. Akihiko raised an eyebrow in apprehension, but still waited for them to go on. Gaku nodded bitterly and pulled out the doll they had found from his bag. “It’s no magical dollhouse, but it did belong to Watanabe Sara. And it talks.” He said, pulling the string to demonstrate. 

Akihiko gulped and took the doll from Gaku carefully. He turned it around in his hands, inspecting it. “It’s in good shape, and that message was a bit odd… Tell you what, I’ll go see The Collector and see if I can bargain with this. I can’t ensure that it will work, seeing as he was promised the dollhouse, but I think it’s worth a shot. We might be able to get either Tsumugi or the gem back, at least. And I can reschedule another date for the dollhouse if we don’t get them both.” He said. 

Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu nodded, relieved that Akihiko would try. Maybe, just maybe, that doll would be enough to get Tsumugi and the gem back, or at least one of them. “So, do we leave now?” Tenn asked as Akihiko prepared to leave. 

Akihiko turned back around and looked utterly confused. “Leave where?” He asked. Tenn gave him a deadpan look, as if the answer should be obvious. “To The Collector. We were going to trade that doll, right?” He asked. Akihiko stiffened up then. “I’m sorry, but I was planning on going alone. I don’t want to involve you any more than I already have.” He said. 

Tenn turned to Gaku and Ryuu, and then back to Akihiko. “But we could help.” He said adamantly. Gaku nodded. “Yeah, if he’s really as dangerous as you say, then you shouldn’t go alone.” He said. 

Akihiko only shook his head in response. “Boys! I appreciate that, I really do, but I have to go alone. Please, just trust me on that.” He said, and then, before giving the three of them another chance to object, he left. Akihiko entered his car and drove away. 

Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn looked at one another for a second, then made a decision. They would follow Akihiko to his meeting with The Collector. The three friends went out onto the main road and quickly found a cab, which they told to follow Akihiko’s car. When the curator turned off the main road onto a much smaller one, they told the driver to let them off there. They walked the rest of the way. 

When they finally caught up to Akihiko, he had parked his car by the side of the road. He stood outside and waited, leading the three friends to believe that The Collector had not arrived yet. In order to stay out of sight, they hid behind a pile of firewood that lay some ten meters away from Akihiko’s car. Then they waited. 

It took about five minutes, and then a second car rolled in and parked just ahead of Akihiko’s car. The passenger side door opened first, and out stepped Vera, their housemother. Now, Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu knew that she was a part of this, after all, it was her who had taken Tsumugi. And yet, they had not expected her to be there now. 

Then the other door opened and out stepped a person, presumably a man, wearing a black suit, black cloak, a black hat, and a strange ornamental mask covering his entire face, save for his eyes. There was no way to tell who he was. 

The masked man, whom the three friends assumed was The Collector, stepped up to Akihiko. “Where is it?” He asked, and it was clear that he had some sort of voice-altering device, making it impossible to identify him by his voice as well. 

Even from where they were hidden, Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu could tell that Akihiko was nervous. The curator reached into his bag and pulled out the doll. He then handed it over to The Collector, who looked down at it before quickly turning back to Akihiko. “What is the meaning of this? I was promised the dollhouse!” He said angrily. 

Akihiko took a step back. “I-I’m really sorry, but there were some complications and I couldn’t get it! I figured it was better to bring that than to come empty handed, and it even belonged to Watanabe Sara! Now, if you’d just give me some more time, I could-” He started to explain. 

The Collector hit the roof of his car hard, startling them all, then handed the doll back to Akihiko. “I don’t care for some doll! I want that dollhouse, and you will bring it to me. I’ll give you 48 hours, but that’s all. If you fail, you’ll never see that assistant of yours again.” He said before returning to his car. 

“Tsumugi? Wait, you can’t hurt her!” Akihiko exclaimed, running up to and grabbing ahold of The Collector’s arm. “Then get me the dollhouse in 48 hours!” The Collector roared back. He then tore his arm away from Akihiko’s hold, climbed into the car followed by Vera, and then drove away. 

Once The Collector and Vera were gone, Akihiko slumped back against the car and sighed. Now that the danger was gone, Gaku, Tenn and Ryuu figured they could come out of hiding. Also, they would very much like a ride back to the school. So, they walked out from behind the pile of wood and then made their way over to Akihiko. 

The curator looked shocked to say the least when he saw those three boys. “What are you guys doing here? I told you to wait!” He exclaimed in worry. “Sorry.” Ryuu said sheepishly, while Gaku and Tenn did not appear apologetic at all. “So, we really have to find that dollhouse now.” Gaku said. 

Akihiko sighed again. “That appears to be the case. I’m sorry I’m so utterly useless. I should be able to resolve this by myself.” He said. Tenn rolled his eyes at that. “Don’t worry, we were the ones who wanted to help. We’ll definitely get that dollhouse before that deadline so you can make the exchange.” He said. 

Akihiko nodded and smiled bitterly, it was clear that he was not happy about the situation. But at the same time, there wasn’t really any other way out. So, he accepted their help again. The day after tomorrow was the day it was finally time to end this and get Tsumugi (and hopefully the gem) back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now both Sibuna and Trigger have time limits? will they be able to find what they need in time? Or will things go awfully wrong? Be back on Wednesday to find out what happens next, because that's when I'll be back with the next chapter! Thank you so much for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for the reflectors continue, meanwhile, Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu are running out of time to find the dollhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Wednesday, so I'm back with a new chapter. Please, enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Upon waking up, Nagi and Riku did their usual morning routine. They took turns in the bathroom, then got dressed, and finally, before heading down, they checked on the dollhouse. The dollhouse was still securely locked up in their closet, which was a relief. And when they opened it, they saw, to their delight, that the dolls had moved locations again.

Now that they had a time limit for solving the newest task, they were ecstatic for every scrap of a clue they could get, so that the dollhouse helped them again made them super happy. This time, the dolls had moved into the entrance hall, and so that is where Nagi and Riku went. 

On the way there, they stopped to get Sougo, and once they reached the entrance hall, Riku quickly went over to Iori and Tamaki’s room and knocked on their door. Once they were all gathered, Riku and Nagi explained how the dolls in the dollhouse had moved during the night again, and that they were now in this room. 

After that, they all started looking, eager to find the remaining reflectors now that they had a time limit. Four more days (they guessed) and four more reflectors. To be on the safe side, they would ideally have to find at least one reflector a day. 

The entrance hall wasn’t all that big, there also wasn’t all that much stuff in there, so you would think that it would be easy and quick to search. But alas, none of them could find anything that could be one of their reflectors. 

After a while, Tamaki sighed and collapsed in a chair that stood in a corner of the room. “This is impossible!” He exclaimed. “It would be a lot easier if we knew what we were looking for.” Sougo agreed. Then, they all turned to Iori, because he was the one who knew the zodiac best. 

“Well,” Iori started. “I don’t know which symbols apply to which reflector, and I also haven’t figured out all of them yet, but I could tell you the symbols.” He suggested. The others nodded, so that is what Iori did. “Well, one is time and gold, I’m guessing that’s some sort of golden clock? But it’s just a theory. Then there’s a sun and a wave, a toy and a marble, and finally, osiris and a sarcophagus.” 

Tamaki raised an eyebrow and pointed at the big grandfather clock that stood against one of the walls. “Could the reflector be in there if one of the clues were gold and time?” He asked. Iori frowned. “Maybe, but I don’t think there is any gold on that clock though.” He answered thoughtfully. 

It was then that Nagi seemed to realize something. “Wait… The dolls moved to this room, which should mean that the reflector is here. But do you guys think it’s possible that it is actually referring to something that used to be in here?” He asked. 

“I don’t know.” Iori admitted, and you could see his skepticism. “I mean, all the other times, the dollhouse led us to the room the reflector was in.” He argued. 

Nagi nodded. “I know, it’s just… If it’s possible it’s referring to something that isn’t here anymore, then I might know what it is.” He said. Riku stepped closer to Nagi when he said that. “What do you think it could be?” He asked in wonder. 

“You guys wouldn’t know about it, because it was taken down before you started at the school.” Nagi said, addressing the three first years. Then he turned to Sougo. “Sougo, do you remember that awful mosaic that used to hang on the wall? It was supposed to be a mosaic of Osiris and it used to hang next to the sarcophagus! So, if I’m right, this would be the one that is represented by the symbols for osiris and sarcophagus on the zodiac.” Nagi said. 

Sougo nodded. “I remember it! It was obnoxiously colorful and so ugly, it didn’t go with anything else in the house. But it belonged to the Watanabes, so Tsukumo didn’t want to take it down. You said on your first day here in Anubis House that if there was one thing you would accomplish before you left this school, it was that that horrid mosaic would be taken down.” He said. 

Nagi smiled and chuckled at the memory. “Right, and it took me almost all year. But two weeks before the school year was over, I finally got Tsukumo to agree to take it down.” He said. 

“So, you think this mosaic could be the reflector? Wouldn’t it be a bit big?” Tamaki asked. Nagi shook his head. “Well, the entire thing would likely be too big, but it’s made out of multiple tiny pieces of colored glass. It’s possible only one of the pieces is our reflector.” He suggested. 

Riku nodded. “That could be the case. But if Tsukumo took it down, where is it now?” He asked. Nagi and Sougo both shrugged. “I assume he would have put it in the attic. Since it belonged to the Watanabes, he wouldn’t have thrown it away.” Sougo said. 

“But Tsumugi cleared out the attic.” Tamaki said. “What if she threw it away when she did that?” He asked. Now Riku, Nagi and Sougo all looked plenty troubled. “That would be really bad, especially if it really is a reflector.” Nagi said, and the others nodded in agreement. 

“Maybe it wasn’t thrown out.” Iori said, a thoughtful expression on his face. “What do you mean? Do you know where it is?” Sougo asked. Iori shook his head. “Like you said, it was taken down before I got here, so i can’t be sure. But Akihiko-san has a really ugly mosaic down at the library that he said was a gift from Tsumugi. Said she brought it over when she started working for him since it belonged to the Watanabes. She might have thought it could be part of the exhibition.” Iori explained. 

“So,” started Nagi. “The mosaic could be down at the library?” He asked. “Could be.” Iori answered with a shrug. “Then I say we go check it out as soon as we get the chance.” Riku said. They all nodded in agreement. 

When Vera went looking for Tsukumo, she was not surprised to find him in his office. She was, however, surprised to find him in this particular state. Instead of sitting at his desk, as he usually would, Tsukumo was kneeling in the corner of the room, seemingly going through his things. It was as if he was looking for something. 

“Is something the matter?” Vera asked in concern as she stepped further into the office. At the sound of her voice, Tsukumo twirled around, a scowl on his face. “I have good and bad news. The good news is that I think I have figured out another reflector. The bad news is that I seem to have misplaced it.” He said. 

Vera nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, why don’t you tell me what it is? Maybe I have seen it, and if not, I could at least help you look.” She offered. Tsukumo sighed, but nodded in agreement in the end. 

“Watanabe Ritsu loved riddles and problem solving, and his favourite thing was to make it very literal. He loved seeing people try to come up with these really elaborate and complicated solutions, when in actuality the answers were very simple. And I think that’s what I’ve been doing with these clues for the reflectors. I’ve made it too complicated.” Tsukumo started to explain. 

“Take this for example.” He said and pointed at the zodiac. “This symbol means ‘toy’ or ‘plaything’, and opposite that is the one meaning ‘sphere’ or ‘marble’. I took this to mean that maybe it was some toy, like a ball or the like. But the symbol for ‘toy’ is drawn as a doll, so what if it’s literal? And if you put doll and marble together, I think it may be a doll’s eye.” He explained. 

Vera’s eyes widened. “A doll’s eye? You think that is a reflector?” She asked. Tsukumo nodded. “Yes. And at the start of this term, I found a porcelain doll that belonged to Watanabe Sara in the attic. It held a clue that I thought led to the Book of Isis. I’ve kept it since, and I think it may be the doll I’m looking for now. But for some reason, it’s not where I remember leaving it.” He said. 

Vera cursed under her breath. The doll Akihiko had tried to give The Collector had belonged to Watanabe Sara, could that be the same doll? But how had he gotten his hands on it? Still, Vera was confident that it was the right doll. And at least this meant that she knew where to find it. The Watanabe Library. 

“You know what?” Started Vera, making Tsukumo look up at her from where he was still kneeling on the floor. “I think I might have seen a doll around somewhere. Let me look for it, and I’ll bring it to you once I have it. Then we’ll see if it’s the right doll.” She offered with a smile on her face. 

Tsukumo nodded, a relieved smile on his face. “Oh, if you could find it, that would be wonderful!” He exclaimed. Vera smiled and assured him she would do her best. Then she left the office and headed for the library. She could always tell Akihiko that The Collector had changed his mind about the doll. She just had to pray that the curator hadn’t thrown the doll away already. 

Sibuna had been meaning to search the Watanabe Library much earlier, but they had been stopped when they tried the first time. After their first failed attempt, they decided to just sneak back that night via the tunnels. So, after dinner they descended into the tunnels and got to the library through the newly discovered secret tunnel shortly after Akihiko had locked up and left. 

The library was eerily dark and quiet now that there were no one there. The sun had already gone down, and the moonlight illuminated the room in a way that made it appear almost magical. There was a certain beauty to it, yet it was also a bit creepy. 

“Let’s split up and search. Sougo-san, Tamaki, you two check the second floor. Iori, Nagi and I will stay here and search the first floor.” Riku suggested once they were all out of the tunnel and the hatch was closed again. The others all nodded, agreeing to Riku’s idea. After that, they all went off to search for the mosaic in different places around the library. 

Iori immediately went over the display cases, to see if Akihiko had deemed the mosaic old and valuable enough to truly be a part of the exhibit. Meanwhile, the other four walked along the walls and edges of the library, seeing if someone had hung it up on the walls. After all, when it was still in Anubis House, it had hung up on the wall in the entrance hall. 

However, minutes passed and there was no sign of the mosaic, or any mosaic for that matter. “Maybe they thought it was so ugly that they decided to put it away?” Nagi suggested, his tone light and joking. “Or maybe they thought it was so ugly they just threw it out.” Sougo added, though he did not sound as if he was joking. Nagi shuddered at the thought. “I wouldn’t be surprised, it was a very ugly mosaic.” He said. 

“Wouldn’t it be bad if they threw it out, though?” Tamaki asked then. “I mean, if it is a reflector, then we need it. And if they threw it out, we might never find it again.” He said. It dawned on everyone then that there was a real possibility that one of their reflectors had been thrown away, and if that was the case, then they would never be able to complete the task. 

Riku felt a shiver go down his spine as the thought of never being able to complete this quest crossed his mind. Senkhara’s curse would take all of their lives if that happened. Riku shook his head to clear his mind of these thoughts. “Let’s just keep looking. We don’t actually know that it was thrown out, so let’s keep our hopes up, yeah? Iori, you said you saw the mosaic Akihiko-san got from Tsumugi, right? Where was it then?” Riku asked. 

Iori’s eyes widened at the question. “He had it on his desk…! We haven’t checked there yet, have we?” He asked, and before anyone could give him an answer, they all rushed over to Akihiko’s desk. Immediately, they started checking out the desk’s surface, which was covered in loose documents that they had to move aside. But there was no mosaic. 

Once the top of the desk proved devoid of mosaic, they started looking through the drawers. The top one mostly had pens, erasers, staplers, and some loose cords. When they opened the second drawer they were once again greeted with loose documents. Seriously, Akihiko needed to organize his files better. But underneath those documents, they hit the jackpot. There was a sea of all different colors imaginable, most of them did not at all go well together, all of them arranged in an odd pattern. 

“That’s it!” Nagi exclaimed as he picked up the mosaic. At first he was happy, but then he got a good look at it and frowned. “Wow, it is even uglier than I remembered. Thank God I got Tsukumo to take this thing down.” He said. 

Riku took it from Nagi then and placed it on the desk. “It is ugly, but that’s not important. We need to see if any of the pieces of glass has the falcon symbol on it!” He said. After that, they all leaned over the mosaic and started inspecting the different pieces of glass. It wasn’t long until Sougo made the discovery. “There! The big, bright green one in the center!” He said. 

And sure enough, in the very center of the mosaic there was a big, green piece of glass that, when you looked closer, had a falcon symbol on it, just like the mirror and the medicine goblet. “Yes! Nagi, you were right!” Riku exclaimed and threw his arms around his roommate in an embrace that the blond boy happily reciprocated. 

The two let go of one another and went back to the mosaic. “So, does anyone know how we get that one piece of glass out without destroying the whole thing?” Riku asked then. Nagi rolled his eyes. “Right, because it would be such a shame if we broke it. What with it being so pretty and all.” He said sarcastically, earning a shove from both Riku and Tamaki. 

Sougo stepped up after that. “Riku-kun is right, we should try not to break it. It would be very messy to clean up afterwards. Plus, we risk breaking the piece we need for the task. I actually brought a knife and some pliers if that will work.” He said, offering the two tools. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “It’s worth a try. Nagi, will you do it? And please, try not to break it.” He said, giving his friend a knowing look. Again, Nagi rolled his eyes. But he still took the tools and nodded. “I’ll try not to break it. Promise.” He said, and then he got to work. 

While Nagi worked on the mosaic, and Riku, Sougo and Tamaki watched him closely, Iori was a bit preoccupied. When Nagi had brought up the mosaic, Iori had spotted something different. Something he was now holding in his hand, caressing it carefully while turning it over and over, inspecting it closely. It was the tiny statue that Akihiko claimed had been stolen, the Egyptian garden gnome. 

In the background, Iori vaguely acknowledged the calls of triumph, which most likely meant that the others had been successful in prying the piece of glass they needed out of the mosaic. He didn’t celebrate with them though, he just felt confused. It wasn’t until Riku came up to him and placed a hand on his bicep that Iori pulled himself out of his mind and looked at him. 

Riku had a concerned smile on his face as he looked at Iori. “Is everything okay?” He asked. Iori just blinked at him for a minute, too shocked to really gather his thoughts. In the end, he just held the little figurine up and showed it to Riku. Riku took it and seemed confused at first, but when he took in Iori’s worried expression, his mind made the connection. It was upon seeing Riku’s now also worried face that Iori gathered himself and was finally able to speak. “Akihiko-san lied to me.” 

They were running out of time to find the dollhouse, so that night, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn sneaked out of their room in order to check Riku and Nagi’s room again. That was the only place they had seen the dollhouse, so that was where they wanted to start looking. 

For a while now, they had waited outside the room to see if they would leave, but nothing seemed to happen. Soon, they noticed that the room was awfully silent, so Tenn took a chance. He knocked on the door to see if anyone would reply. When they got no answer, he opened it, revealing an empty room. 

“Are you kidding me?” Gaku asked. “We could have gone in from the start? What have we been waiting for all this time then?!” He exclaimed. “Relax.” Said Ryuu. “We didn’t know that they left. There was no way for us to know it was safe to enter.” 

The three of them entered the room and saw that, just like before, the dollhouse no longer stood on the table. immediately, they started looking around the room, but there were only so many places that were big enough to hide a dollhouse that big. When Ryuu tried the wardrobe, only to find it locked, he quickly turned to the others. “Gaku, Tenn, come check the wardrobe!” 

Gaku and Tenn rushed over to him and tried to open it, finding it locked. “Why would you lock a wardrobe? Unless there’s something valuable inside…” Ryuu said. “What if,” started Tenn. “maybe they noticed someone, us that is, had been messing with the dollhouse and decided to lock it up.” He suggested. 

Gaku nodded. “That’s possible. We’ll have to get it open. But hurry up, they could come back at any moment.” He said. Tenn got right to it, pulling out some hair pins to pick the lock. Over their break, Riku had told him about his various adventures, including how he had on multiple occasions broken into the attic by picking the locks. Tenn had asked him to show him how, though he didn’t think he would ever have a use for that knowledge. At least not like this. 

Soon, Tenn had managed to get the wardrobe open. He threw open the doors, and in there stood the dollhouse, in all its glory. “Fucking finally. Let’s take it now before they come back.” Gaku said and moved in to start moving the toy. He motioned for Ryuu to help him, so the brunette took the other end and the two carried it together. 

Tenn closed the doors to the wardrobe, but he didn’t bother to lock it up again. Then he followed Gaku and Ryuu out of the room, down the stairs and out of the house. They would take the dollhouse to Akihiko right now, he could keep it in his car until he met with The Collector tomorrow afternoon. 

After they returned from the tunnels, Riku had stayed with Iori for a while. Iori was understandably quite upset upon having learned that Akihiko had lied to him. He couldn’t understand why he had done that. Riku had tried to assure him that Akihiko surely had a good reason for it, that he was a good person. 

Riku left Iori only once he had promised to wait until tomorrow to do anything. Riku wanted Iori to get a chance to rest and collect his thoughts, then Riku promised to go with him to confront Akihiko about their discovery. Now he just had to hope that it really wasn’t anything bad. 

Riku fell asleep relatively fast after that, and when he woke up the next day, he and Nagi went over their usual routine once more. However, when Nagi tried to unlock the wardrobe, it didn’t work. “What’s wrong?” Riku asked, seeing Nagi struggling with it. “I can’t unlock it, the key doesn’t want to turn.” Nagi responded. 

Riku pushed Nagi to the side and tried himself, having no more luck himself. It was then that he tried the door handle, only to find it unlocked. “Well, that’s why the key wasn’t turning.” Riku said. Nagi frowned however. “That’s strange, I could have sworn I locked it before we left for the library last night.” He said. 

Riku and Nagi immediately became alarmed and fully opened the doors to the wardrobe to check on the dollhouse. As they feared, the dollhouse was no longer in there. Someone had taken it. “No! We need the dollhouse! How else are we supposed to find the remaining three reflectors in just three days?!” Riku exclaimed. 

Nagi, however, just started pacing and mumbling to himself. “Did I not lock the wardrobe? I really thought I did though… Shit, is this my fault? It has to be my fault. I should have double checked the door before we left, I should have checked on it before going to sleep last night. I-” 

Nagi was interrupted by the door to the room opening. In came Iori, who was most likely there to get Riku, seeing as they were supposed to go to see Akihiko together. When he saw how troubled Nagi and Riku looked though, he immediately grew worried. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?” He asked. 

Riku nodded and pointed at the now empty (save for all of their clothes) wardrobe. “The dollhouse is gone. When we went to check on it, the doors were unlocked! Now the dollhouse isn’t in there anymore.” He explained. 

“Shit, did someone take it?” Iori asked, all thoughts about Akihiko suddenly vanishing. He walked over to Riku and the wardrobe to check for himself, but just like the other two, he found the wardrobe to be empty. 

“It was all my fault… I thought I locked the door, but I must have forgotten it…” Nagi said, and this time both Iori and Riku turned to him. “No, Nagi, this isn’t your fault. If you say you locked the door, then I believe you. Besides, I could have also double checked before we left, so it’s as much my fault as it is yours if we left it unlocked. But it’s also possible that someone broke into it while we were gone.” Riku said. 

Nagi nodded, grateful for Riku’s words but not really taking them in. “What do we do now though?” He asked instead. “We have to find it.” Riku said, looking determined. Then, Riku turned to Iori with an apologetic look. “Sorry, I know I promised, but do you think you could go talk to Akihiko-san alone? Or maybe just wait until later? We really need to find the dollhouse.” Riku said. 

Iori smiled at Riku. “It’s fine. Of course it’s fine! This quest is the most important thing right now, so let’s just wait. We’ll talk to Akihiko-san once all of this calms down. For now, I want to help look for the dollhouse and the reflectors.” He said. 

Riku smiled graciously and nodded. “Right. Thank you. I promise to come with you when you talk to Akihiko-san, as long as you want me there, that is.” He said. Then Nagi interrupted them. “For now, let’s go find Tamaki and Sougo, they need to know about the dollhouse. Then let’s start searching.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They took the dollhouse! How will this change things? Find out on Saturday, which is when I'll be back with the next update! Until then, I hope you liked this chapter and are looking forward to the next! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna try to figure out who took the dollhouse, meanwhile, Akihiko is trying to exchange it for Tsumugi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another chapter, please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

Vera was pleased when she visited Akihiko and he told her he still had the doll. And when she had told him that The Collector had changed his mind and wanted the doll, he gladly handed it over. Now, it was time for Vera to bring the doll to Tsukumo.

When she entered the office, Tsukumo was, as usual, sitting at his desk and working on the translation for the Book of Isis. When he heard someone entering and saw that it was Vera, he smiled and gestured for her to close the door and come inside. That is what she did. “Guess what I’ve got for you…” Vera said, a smirk on her lips. 

“Could it be…” Tsukumo started, a playful glint in his eyes. “A certain porcelain doll that belonged to Watanabe Sara and may or may not be another reflector?” He asked. Vera smiled and took the doll out of her bag. “Well, it is a porcelain doll at least. Why don’t you have a look at it and tell me whether it’s the right one.” She said. 

Tsukumo took the doll from Vera and smiled. “Well, it is the same doll I lost. Time to see if this is what we need...” He said. Tsukumo pulled out some of his tools and started checking the doll out closer. He held up a magnifying glass to its face and inspected the eye to see if he could spot the falcon. 

“Well? Do you see anything?” Vera asked intrigued. Tsukumo shook his head. “No… no falcon as far as I can see. Unless…” He said, and then got out some other tools. Ever so carefully, Tsukumo used his tools to saw off the doll’s face. Once it was loose, he turned it around in his hand and checked the back of the eyes. And there, on the back of the doll’s right eye, was the falcon. 

“Aha!” Tsukumo exclaimed before showing it to Vera. “I was right! We have our second reflector!” He said proudly. Vera beamed and congratulated him. 

“Now, if only I could find the rest of the reflectors… This is taking a lot longer than I would have liked.” Tsukumo said once the excitement started to die down. Vera frowned. “Well, will you let me see the clues? Maybe I can help.” She offered. Tsukumo nodded and showed her his notes and the picture of the zodiac. 

Vera looked at it all for a while, and then pointed at one set of symbols. “What about these?” She asked. “Ah, waves and the setting sun. I am really not sure what those means, they seem to be among the more difficult clues.” Tsukumo answered. 

However, a thought was already starting to form in Vera’s head. “Didn’t you say before that Watanabe Ritsu was awfully fond of throwing people off by being literal. What if the clue is talking about an actual sunset?” She asked. 

Tsukumo frowned. “Well, yes, but Vera, the reflector needs to be an object. You’re not suggesting it’s the actual setting sun, are you?” He asked. In reply, Vera rolled her eyes. “Of course not! I just… You know what, just let me show you.” She said before grabbing ahold of Tsukumo’s hand and dragging him with her back up to the attic, where she was staying. 

Once up there, Vera pointed at one of the colored windows that adorned the walls. “Look, the glass depicts a sun setting beneath the waves.” She said. Tsukumo stared at the window in awe, he never would have come up with that himself. Still, there was one more thing that needed to be done before they could be sure that they had the right thing. 

Tsukumo and Vera both walked up closer to the window to inspect it. And right there, in the very center of the red piece of glass that was supposed to be the sun, was yet another falcon. “Vera, you genius woman!” Tsukumo exclaimed as he reached up to see if he could get the red piece of glass off without breaking the window. Turns out, the piece popped out rather easily. 

“And that’s a third reflector.” Said Vera, a smirk on her face. Tsukumo smiled and nodded. “Three down, three to go.” He said. 

Immediately as school let out, all five members of Sibuna rushed back to the House of Anubis as fast as they could. They needed to keep looking for their missing dollhouse, but also for the reflectors still. After all, they were on a time limit, so they couldn’t completely drop the reflectors and focus solely on the dollhouse. 

On the way back, they decided that Iori, Nagi and Sougo would focus on the reflectors while Riku and Tamaki looked for the dollhouse. And as soon as they reached Anubis House, they split up into their two groups. 

While Iori, Nagi and Sougo headed upstairs to go over Iori’s notes on the zodiac one more time, Tamaki and Riku stayed downstairs. “Who do we think took the dollhouse anyway? Tsukumo? Vera?” Tamaki asked. 

Riku shook his head, he had no idea. “It could be either… And if they are working together, it might not make a difference who did it. Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to be them who took it, it could be someone else. But then again, Tsukumo and Vera seem like the most likely suspects.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded and tried to think really hard about it. “Well, if we assume it was Tsukumo or Vera who took the dollhouse, then where would they put it? Isn’t that a good place to start?” He asked. 

Riku nodded and gave Tamaki an encouraging smile. “Yeah, that’s a pretty good idea! If we can figure out what possible places they could have put it in, then we know where to start looking!” He agreed. 

Tamaki smiled triumphantly, proud that he had come up with something that Riku deemed to be helpful. “Maybe they put it in Tsukumo’s office?” He suggested. However, it seemed like Riku did not agree with that, for he shook his head in dismissal. “I don’t think so… The dollhouse is pretty big, and I don’t think there are any hiding places in his office that are spacious enough.” He said. 

Tamaki frowned. “Okay, so it’s not in Tsukumo’s office. Then where?” He asked. Riku considered their options for a minute, then he deemed two places in the house to be more likely than the rest. “I say that if it was them, then they’re either in Vera’s room, since we aren’t allowed up there, or in the cellar. It’s Tsukumo’s domain, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if it’s down there.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded. “Okay, I can see that happening. But that’s a bit of a problem, since Vera’s up in her room, resting, and Tsukumo is down in the cellar right now. We can’t check those places out, at least not now.” He said. 

Riku frowned, what Tamaki said was true, and it did pose a problem. “Well… Should we search somewhere else in the meantime? Or maybe we should go upstairs and join Iori and the others?” He suggested. 

Tamaki was about to reply when he spotted something. In the living room, aimed right at them, stood one of Yamato and Mitsuki’s cameras. “Or there may be something else we can do. Rikkun, come on!” He exclaimed and headed into the other room, Riku following close behind. 

Tamaki pointed at the camera. “Yama-san and Mikki’s cameras were still up and running when the theft happened, since it happened sometime between us leaving for the tunnels and you waking up this morning. If someone moved it into the cellar, or just down the stairs, they would have been caught on video!” He explained. 

Riku’s expression turned into one of wonder as he looked up at Tamaki. “You’re right! Of course, why didn’t I think of that! We’ll rewind through the film, and if they moved the dollhouse down the stairs, we’ll know who took it and in which direction. And if there’s no sign of the dollhouse, it must still be on the second floor or above!” He said happily. 

Tamaki nodded, then he took the camera off of the stand before sitting down on the sofa. Riku sat down beside him and leaned in close so that they could look through the video together. Tamaki started to rewind it, which went pretty slow since they didn’t want to miss anything. At least they wouldn’t have to go through the entire video, since they knew the dollhouse had still been in the wardrobe when they left for the tunnels. 

“There!” Riku exclaimed, as he, for just a second, saw someone moving backwards up the stairs. Tamaki noticed too and stopped the recording, before playing it at normal speed. What they saw next was something they never would have anticipated. “Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san? Why would they take the dollhouse?” Riku asked in shock. 

“And your brother is there too, look.” Tamaki said, pointing behind the two third years. Riku gulped. “Tenn-nii… Why would you do this?” He asked, sounding betrayed. A lot of different scenarios had played over and over in his mind since the dollhouse disappeared, but none of them had been his brother stealing from him. 

“Uhm…” Tamaki started, not really sure what to do. What did you say to your friend after learning that his twin brother had stolen something important from them? “I’m sure it’s not as bad as it looks like… Hopefully.” Tamaki said in the end. 

Riku’s expression went from hurt and betrayed to showing no emotion at all. “Keep going.” He said, his voice low. “What?” Asked Tamaki, confused by the request. “The video. Keep playing it so we can see what they do to the dollhouse. Maybe they are taking it to their room.” Riku explained. Tamaki nodded and did what he was told. 

However, Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu did not take the dollhouse in the direction of their room, they seemed to be taking it outside. “Where are they going with it?” Asked Tamaki. Riku shook his head. “I have no idea, but there’s only one way to find out. We have to ask them about it.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded. “Okay, but they’re not back from school yet… Do we wait? Or do we call them? Or maybe we should just go find them?” He asked. “I think we should wait.” Said Riku. “Let’s go up and tell Iori, Nagi and Sougo what we found out. We can keep searching for reflectors while we wait for Tenn-nii to get back.” He suggested. 

Tamaki nodded and tried to give Riku a sympathetic smile. “Okay, let’s do that then.” He said. Riku sighed. “And Tamaki, one more thing.” He said, making Tamaki turn his way and raise an eyebrow in question. “When they get back,” started Riku. “Can you let me talk to Tenn-nii about it? Alone?” 

Once all three were finished with school, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn headed over to the Watanabe Library. Akihiko had been ecstatic when they brought the dollhouse the previous evening, and once they had it, they had decided that they should all go together. That being said, the three students would not be meeting The Collector, they were supposed to hide nearby. 

So, once they were done with school and met up with Akihiko, all four of them piled into his car and then drove off. They stopped at the same place where Akihiko had met The Collector last time, but now they were early. Akihiko instructed Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn on where to hide, and told them that no matter what happened once The Collector arrived, they had to stay silent and stay hidden. 

They agreed to these conditions, mostly because they were surprised that Akihiko had let them come along at all. And so, with the three students hidden away and the dollhouse safe in the trunk of the car, Akihiko waited. 

It took about twenty minutes, then he saw a familiar car roll up along the road. Once it stopped, out came the masked man, The Collector. This time however, he was alone, Vera Devenish was nowhere in sight. However, they also couldn’t see Tsumugi anywhere, which was strange, seeing as this was meant to be a trade. 

The Collector walked up to Akihiko, who in turn stiffened up. “Do you have it? Do you have the dollhouse?” He asked. Akihiko gulped down his nerves, and then he nodded. The curator walked over to the back of his car, opened the trunk, revealing the dollhouse inside. The Collector nodded, and if it wasn’t for the mask that covered his face, the others were sure he would have looked pleased. 

From where they were hiding, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn watched their exchange nervously. “Come on, ask about Tsumugi…” Tenn whispered, not that Akihiko could hear him anyway. 

“What are you waiting for? Give me the dollhouse.” Said The Collector. Akihiko hesitated for a second, afraid of what would happen next. But he couldn’t back out now. He tried to stand up straighter, tried to look not afraid. “What about Tsumugi? The deal was that I give you the dollhouse when you give her back to me!” He said. 

The Collector clicked his tongue and averted his gaze. “I never agreed to that, it was what you decided on your own. I told you to bring me the dollhouse, but not once did I say that I would bring the girl. Now, hand it over.” He said sternly. 

Akihiko’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “No… No, you will let her go! She didn’t do anything!” He exclaimed, though his raise in voice didn’t seem to have any effect whatsoever on The Collector. Instead, the masked man just walked up to Akihiko and grabbed a hold of his collar. “You listen to me now. You do not order me, I am the one who gives the orders. All you can do is follow them, understand? If not, I have my means to make you listen.” He said. 

Akihiko gulped, tore himself out of The Collector’s grip and backed away. Now breathing heavily, and his eyes full of fear, Akihiko could do little to stop The Collector from going up to the car and taking the dollhouse himself. It was only once The Collector had already put the dollhouse in his own car and was about to get in to leave that Akihiko pulled himself out of his stupor. 

Akihiko, in a surge of anger, rushed up to The Collector and grabbed him by the shoulders. “You can’t do this! Let Tsumugi go! That is all I ask of you!” He yelled angrily. The Collector did not only ignore what he was saying, he also forcefully pushed Akihiko off. But Akihiko was determined, so he jumped right back in, this time getting his hands on the mask The Collector was wearing and yanked it off, revealing his real face underneath. 

From their hiding place, Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn had been tensely watching this entire exchange take place. And when Akihiko pulled off the mask that covered his face, all three of them froze. “Wait a minute…” Said Gaku. “Isn’t that…?” Continued Ryuu, they both sounded awfully confused. Tenn however, was frozen in place, eyes wide and breathing coming out faster and faster. The Collector was Kujou Takamasa. 

Tenn shook his head. “That’s impossible…” He said, barely audible. Tenn then repeated that a couple of times, shaking his head in disbelief all the while. At the same time, Kujou had managed to push Akihiko off of himself and had climbed into the car. As he started to drive away, Akihiko let out an angry yell. 

Akihiko marched back to his own car, looking over at where the three students were hiding at the same time. “Come on, get in the car! We’re following him! If he won’t give us Tsumugi back, we’ll just take her back by ourselves!” He exclaimed. 

Gaku, Ryuu and Tenn stood up hesitantly and then joined Akihiko in the car. Akihiko immediately started following Kujou from a distance, trying to see where he was driving and hoping it would lead them to Tsumugi. 

Meanwhile, Tenn started collecting himself. “That was Kujou-san… But how?” He said. Gaku and Ryuu looked over at Tenn in concern, while they didn’t know the full story of what had happened between Tenn and Kujou last term, they knew they had a falling out that was serious enough for Tenn to come back to the Nanase family. They also knew that Kujou had seemingly passed away over the break. 

Akihiko also picked up on Tenn’s strange behaviour as his adrenaline started to leave him. “You know him? You know The Collector?” He asked. Tenn nodded. “Yes, he is Kujou Takamasa. He was my adoptive father, I lived with him for five years.” He said. “What?!” Akihiko asked, clearly taken aback by this revelation. 

Tenn shook his head. “Long story, but I don’t live with him any more. He kind of disowned me and now I’m back with my actual family. Anyway, if you’re following him, you need to be careful! You were right, he is dangerous!” He warned. 

Akihiko met Tenn’s eyes for a second in the rearview mirror. “What do you mean? How dangerous?” He asked seriously. “Well, he has no problem with kidnapping, seeing as he kept me locked up in his apartment all of last term, and he locked up some of the others from Anubis House at the end of term party, including Izumi Iori. Also, he tried to kill Riku.” Tenn explained. 

“He did what?!” Both Gaku, Ryuu and Akihiko exclaimed at the same time. Tenn grunted in reply. “I told you, it’s a long story! Just know that Kujou Takamasa is an asshole who has no problem with doing whatever horrible thing he needs to in order to achieve what he wants!” He said. “Also, I thought he was dead. I have no idea how he is still here…” He then admitted. 

“What do you mean you thought he was dead? Why did you think that?” Akihiko asked. “Around the time when we got back to school,” started Tenn. “There was an obituary in the newspaper. That’s why I assumed he was already dead.” He explained. 

Akihiko nodded, but they didn’t have any more time to discuss Kujou Takamasa, as they realized they had reached their location. They had been following him from a distance, and realized that he had stopped. Akihiko parked the car some distance away, then he and the three boys exited and sneaked up closer to wherever it was that Kujou had gone. 

Kujou had apparently parked near a farmhouse in the middle of the country. It wasn’t too far away from the school, probably only a 15 minute car ride away. The fact that he had stayed this close to them all this while kind of freaked Tenn out. 

As they moved closer, they saw that the place actually consisted of three separate buildings. One looked like a normal villa, while one looked more like a barn and the third looked more like a tool shed, albeit a rather big tool shed. “Do you think this is where he keeps Tsumugi?” Akihiko asked. 

Tenn shrugged. “Could be, but how would I know? But we know where his hideout is now, I say we leave and come back later. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to face Kujou-san without a plan. It’s too risky.” He said. 

Gaku and Ryuu nodded, they trusted Tenn’s opinion on this, after all, he knew him the best. Also, the new revelations Tenn made in the car still had them kind of shaken up. Akihiko also nodded, all his adrenaline from the confrontation earlier must have run out. “Okay, let’s come back some other time. But we will get Tsumugi back, we have to.” He declared. The three boys had no objections to that, and so they left with the promise to return another time. 

Even though they said that they would keep looking for reflectors while they waited for Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu to come back, Riku had not been able to focus on that at all. His mind kept going back to the video of Tenn and his friends taking the dollhouse. He just couldn’t understand why they would do something like that. 

And so, when he heard the door to the house open, Riku was quickly on his feet and out into the entrance hall. Finally, the three dollhouse thieves were home. Iori and Tamaki stood in the living room, watching Riku in concern. They had agreed to let him talk alone to Tenn before doing anything else, and they intended to stay true to that promise. It didn’t stop them from worrying about the redhead though. 

Riku looked at his brother, confusion and hurt in his eyes. When Tenn finally looked up and met his gaze, it was like the two of them had a connection. Tenn could instantly tell that Riku knew what they had done, and Riku could tell that something was wrong, something that scared his older brother. And immediately he knew that whatever reason Tenn had for taking the dollhouse, it wasn’t that easy. 

Riku took a deep breath. “Tenn-nii, we need to talk. Just you and me.” He said. Tenn nodded, he knew what was coming next and he wanted to explain. He also wanted to tell Riku what he had just discovered. Tenn didn’t know if Gaku and Ryuu understood what was going on between the twins, but at least they didn’t argue when the two started making their way up the stairs to Riku’s bedroom. 

The twins entered the empty bedroom (Nagi was out looking for reflectors) and closed the door behind them so that they could have their privacy. Tenn was silent, showing that he would let Riku go first. Without saying anything, Riku nodded and took out the camera. He held it out to Tenn and showed him the recording of him, Gaku, Ryuu and the dollhouse. 

Tenn’s eyes widened, he had already figured out that Riku knew about the dollhouse, but he didn’t realize there was a video of them. “How?” He started to ask. Riku sighed. “Yamato-san and Mitsuki set up cameras around the house for a school project. After we discovered that the dollhouse was gone, we decided to check them out to see if they caught the thief on camera…” Riku explained. 

Tenn winced at the word ‘thief’, and it was made worse when Riku looked up at him, his expression filled with hurt and betrayal. “Why, Tenn-nii? Why did you steal from me? That dollhouse was really important to me, for various reasons, and you just took it! How could you?” Riku asked. 

Tenn tried to swallow around the dread that had settled in his throat and forced himself to keep looking at Riku as he explained. “I’m really sorry, Riku. I didn’t want to steal from you, I promise. We just… We couldn’t come up with anything better.” He started. 

Riku scoffed. “You couldn’t come up with anything better for what? Why did you need the dollhouse? I just want to know why you took it and where it is! I need to get it back!” He exclaimed. 

Now Tenn looked alarmed, the idea of Riku walking right up to Kujou to reclaim the dollhouse scared him. “No! Riku, I promise I will explain, but I’m not sure you can get that dollhouse back.” Tenn said. 

Now Riku primarily looked confused. “What? Why? Tenn-nii, what’s wrong? What did you do with the dollhouse?” He asked. Tenn sighed and finally averted his gaze in shame. “We gave it to Akihiko-san, who gave it to The Collector.” Tenn started, the revelation making Riku’s eyes widen in shock. “Akihiko-san? That’s part of what he’s been hiding, isn’t it?” He asked. 

Now it was Tenn’s turn to look confused. “Yes, I guess… But wait, how did you know that?” He asked. Riku shrugged. “We overheard a conversation between you guys a few days ago, but he came up with some excuse that we found out last night was a lie. So he’s involved in this too? What is going on?” He asked. 

Again, Tenn sighed. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything. But you might want to sit down for this…” Tenn said and guided Riku to the bed. Then he started telling him everything. Tenn told him about the gem and how Akihiko had stolen it. Then he told him about their confrontation with the curator, how they had learned he worked for The Collector, and how he and Vera had taken Tsumugi hostage. 

At the mention of what happened to Tsumugi, Riku looked shocked. He had no idea something that serious had happened to their previous housemother and immediately felt very concerned for her. 

Tenn kept going, now telling Riku about how Akihiko had come up with a plan to trade Tsumugi, and possibly the gem, for something else. Something that was valuable and belonged to the Watanabes. “The dollhouse… You wanted to trade the dollhouse for Tsumugi?” Riku asked in shock, and Tenn nodded, confirming this. 

“The Collector got obsessed with it once he saw a video of it smoking and lighting up on its own. We knew it was the only thing that might get Tsumugi back… But it didn’t work.” Tenn admitted. “We tried to do the exchange earlier today, but The Collector didn’t uphold his end of the bargain. He just made off with the dollhouse and left us without getting Tsumugi or the gem.” 

Riku nodded, looking quite sympathetic. “So, now The Collector has Tsumugi, the gem and the dollhouse… And you’re just not going to do anything about it?” He asked. Tenn shook his head. “Of course not! We know where he is hiding, so we are trying to come up with a plan on how to get Tsumugi back, and maybe even the gem and the dollhouse. But Riku, The Collector is dangerous! And there is something else about him that you need to know about him…” Tenn said. 

Riku nodded again, listening intently. “The Collector hides his identity, always wearing a mask and clothes that cover his entire body. Heck, he’s even using a voice altering device! And when Akihiko-san found out that The Collector wasn’t going to uphold the bargain, he got really angry. He practically tore off the mask, and…” Tenn trailed off, making Riku grow concerned. 

“And what? Did you know who he was?” Riku asked, holding onto Tenn’s hand in comfort. Tenn nodded and looked up at Riku, his gaze filled with something Riku wasn’t used to seeing from Tenn. Fear. “The Collector is Kujou Takamasa. He’s alive.” Tenn said. 

Riku gasped, his eyes wide in disbelief and worry. “Kujou-san is alive? But… But his obituary-” He started, but Tenn interrupted him. “Must have been fake! I don’t know what the point was with that, maybe it had something to do with us or with what happened last term, maybe it was for reasons that aren’t connected at all. We might never know. But it’s true, Riku, he’s still alive.” He said. 

Riku gulped. “And he’s got Tsumugi… And your gem and my dollhouse. We need to get them back…!” He exclaimed. Tenn nodded, but he wasn’t happy about it. “I know… But Riku, this is dangerous. He is dangerous, you and I both know that better than anyone.” He said. 

Riku nodded, then he smiled and squeezed Tenn’s hand tighter. “I know, but Tenn-nii, this time won’t be like before. Because now we have each other. And you have Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san. And I have Iori, Tamaki and the others! We’re not alone, so we can come up with something.” He said. 

Tenn smiled weakly at that and nodded, then he pulled Riku in for a hug. “I’m really sorry about taking the dollhouse, but we need your help now.” He said. Riku reciprocated the hug. “I forgive you, and I promise to help. We’ll figure something out together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kujou Takamasa has returned! Was it obvious that he would, or did you actually get surprised? And now Riku and Tenn (and the others) has to work together to get Tsumugi back! How will it go? Find out on Monday when I'll be back with the next chapter! Thank you so much for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	44. Chapter 44

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Riku knows what Tenn and the others have been up to, and about Kujou being alive, they need to work together to come up with a way to save Tsumugi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you guys will enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

After everything that had happened recently, Riku and Tenn both found it really comforting to open up to one another. Riku, of course, couldn’t tell Tenn about the curse and the tunnels, he didn’t want to risk getting his brother cursed as well, after all. Although, he did feel like Tenn knew that something was going on with Riku, something similar to what went down last term.

After their talk, they had gone to find the others. Riku went to find Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo, then he brought them with him to Tenn’s room, where the older twin waited with Gaku and Ryuu. The twins explained their talk, what had happened with Akihiko, the dollhouse, Tsumugi, the gem and The Collector. When they revealed The Collector’s actual identity, Kujou Takamasa, the tension in the room grew tenfold. 

Together, they decided that their focus now needed to be to get Tsumugi back safe. And first thing in the morning, they planned to head over to the library to get together with Akihiko. They would together come up with a plan for how to get her back. 

So, that was how all eight of them found their way over to the Watanabe Library early the next morning. They quickly found Akihiko and explained the situation to him. After that, Akihiko pulled Iori aside for a second. Nobody minded this, they knew that they were really close. When the two hugged it out, the rest assumed that they were all good. 

And so, they could finally start discussing a plan on how to rescue Tsumugi from Kujou. “I’ve actually been thinking a bit since last night.” Akihiko admitted. “And I think that if we can come up with a distraction to get The Collector away from the farmhouse for an hour or two, the rest of us can go there and get Tsumugi out. If there’s time, you might even have time to look for your dollhouse or your gem.” He suggested. 

The students all took this in and nodded, it wasn’t a bad plan at all, it just lacked details. “Okay, that sounds good. But what could possibly get him to leave the place long enough?” Gaku asked. “Yeah, do we have something that he wants? Something that might get him to come out here for a while?” Nagi added. 

Akihiko sighed and shook his head. “I’m not sure… The one thing that The Collector craves above anything else is the Mask of Anubis.” He said. Hearing this made the five Sibuna members all tense up. Kujou was after the Mask of Anubis as well? That really wasn’t good. 

“The only problem with that,” Akihiko continued. “is that the mask is mythical. The Collector believes that the Watanabes found it and hid it somewhere around here, but I honestly have a hard time believing that…” He said. 

Riku glanced over at Iori and the rest of Sibuna. They all knew that the real mask was hidden underneath them, at the end of the tunnels. But they still had a ways to go until they reached it, and even if they did, they had no plans to hand it over to Kujou. They couldn’t tell anyone that they knew anything about this. 

Luckily, Ryuu soon came up with another idea, one that wouldn’t involve the real mask. “Maybe we don’t need the real mask at all. We just need him to believe that we have the real mask. He already believes that it’s hidden around here, so it wouldn’t be that farfetched to say that we found it. We can use the replica that’s part of the exhibition to fool him, we just need to spray it with some gold paint to look more authentic.” He suggested. 

“Yes…” Akihiko said, his expression thoughtful. “Yes, that might work…!” He exclaimed and smiled brightly. “I’ll work on the replica of the mask today, and then contact him to set up a meeting around here this afternoon! Meanwhile, you guys can head over to the farmhouse, find and rescue Tsumugi, and then come back here, safe and sound!” He suggested. 

Sougo nodded. “That’s actually a pretty good plan.” He agreed. Gaku smirked and stepped up. “Tenn, Ryuu and I know where the farmhouse is. If we head up there after lunch, we could reach it before he leaves. Then we can keep watch, and the moment he goes to meet Akihiko-san, we sneak inside! That way we get the most time and might have enough of it to find the dollhouse and the gem as well!” He said. 

They all seemed on board with that idea, the only one who seemed to have another idea was Iori. He raised his hand and opened his mouth to speak. “While I do think that this is the best we can do to get as much time and to be as safe as possible, I do have another suggestion.” He said, then he turned to Riku and Tenn and gave them both, though mainly Riku, a concerned look. “I think perhaps you two should sit this one out. And not because I don’t think you can do it, but because of your connection to Kujou-san. It would be especially bad if he found you two.” 

The room filled with a tense silence, no one really sure how the twins would react to this proposition. However, they were all pleasantly surprised when Tenn sighed and nodded in agreement. “I… actually agree with Izumi Iori.” He said. “It’s not safe.” He added and glanced over at Riku, and immediately his reaction made more sense. He was glad that this would mean Riku was safe. He wouldn’t say it, but Tenn was also secretly glad to be away from Kujou, the man really scared him after what happened last term. 

Riku looked a bit more reluctant, but he agreed. Partly because he could understand why Iori had said it, partly because he himself wanted to keep Tenn away from his former foster parent, and finally, a part of him had been a bit afraid at the thought of confronting Kujou again. 

Akihiko nodded. “Good, then we have all come to an agreement. This afternoon, we’ll put our plan into action.” He declared. 

It felt like no time at all until the moment rolled around. The eight boys all ate and then gathered to discuss their plan of action one last time. By the time they were finished, it was almost time for class to start again, meaning they had to leave. 

Riku and Tenn walked the others through the hall, and when it was time to split up, Riku stopped Iori by taking a hold of his hand. Sensing that they were about to have a moment, the others kept their distance. Tenn looked displeased, but he didn’t say anything. He was starting to accept the fact that Iori and Riku weren’t going to break up just because he wanted them to. He still didn’t like it, though. 

A few meters away, Riku looked up at Iori while caressing the back of his hand with his thumb. “Promise me you will be careful. Promise you will come back okay.” He said, and Iori could see the unspoken fear in the redhead’s eyes. So, he stroked Riku’s hand back and used his other hand to caress his cheek. “I promise. I’ll be back in a few hours, and then we’ll have Tsumugi with us. And hopefully the dollhouse as well, I will do everything I can to get it back.” Iori said. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “Thank you. But promise that if you’ll have to endanger yourself to get the dollhouse, then let it go. I would rather you come back without it than to get it back but not you.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Okay, I can do that.” He said. Riku gave him a pointed look then. “You have to promise!” He said. Iori chuckled and nodded. “Okay, I promise! Happy now?” He asked, smiling fondly. 

Riku relaxed and nodded. He then leaned his head forward to rest his forehead against Iori’s own. “Good luck.” Riku whispered before lightly pressing his lips to Iori’s. The kiss was quick and soft, but it spoke volumes of their affection for one another. Iori smiled into it. “Thank you.” He murmured against Riku’s lips before pressing a second kiss to the soft skin. 

When they pulled apart, Iori quickly went to join the others while Riku went over to Tenn. The twins waved their friends goodbye and quickly started walking over to their next class, which was just about to start. 

Meanwhile, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi, Sougo, Gaku and Ryuu started heading out of the school. The plan was to catch the bus which left in five minutes, travel four stations down the main road and then get off. That stop was the closest to the farmhouse, but it would still be about half an hour to walk once they got off the bus. Gaku and Ryuu would lead the way, seeing as they were the only ones who had been to the place before. 

However, just as they were heading out the main door to the school, something went wrong. “Hey, you there! Where do you think you are going?!” Someone called out behind them. Iori, Tamaki, Gaku and Ryuu, who were already outside, quickly crouched behind the other door. Nagi and Sougo, however, had not been so lucky. They closed the door and turned around slowly. And there, at the other end of the hall, stood Yaotome Sousuke. 

“Well, well, well. Rokuya Nagi and Osaka Sougo, what are you doing? Sneaking out? Don’t you know that your next class starts in one minute?” He asked, smugly as he had just caught two students trying to sneak out of the school. 

Nagi and Sougo eyed each other, they knew that now that they had been discovered, there was no way they were making it out to join the others. Instead, they decided to just get out of as much trouble as possible. “We’re sorry sir, we were just heading over there. It’s just, I dropped my pencil case out the window earlier. We were just getting that before class.” Nagi said and Sougo nodded encouragingly. 

Sousuke scoffed and crossed his arms. “Very well, go get it. But if you’re not back here in a minute, you get a week’s detention. And I’ll call your parents.” He said. Nagi and Sougo nodded and then headed out the door. As they did, the others stared at them. “Well? What happened?” Tamaki asked. 

Nagi shook his head. “Sorry, we can’t come, we’ll have to be back inside in a minute, or the headmaster will flay us. You’ll have to go without us.” He said. The others all looked a bit uncertain, and Ryuu even opened his mouth to ask, but Sougo beat him to it. “Yes, we’re sure. Now go!” He said. 

The others reluctantly left and Nagi opened his bag to pull out the pencil case he luckily kept on him. Then he and Sougo headed back inside, showed Sousuke the pencil case and then quickly left to get to their class. If they were lucky, they might be able to catch a bus after their next class. 

After the incident with Sousuke, the rest of the trip from the school to the farm had been uneventful. Iori, Tamaki, Gaku and Ryuu had gotten on the bus, stayed on it for four stations, gotten off, and then started the trek towards the farmhouse Kujou Takamasa used as a hiding place. 

Like they said, the walk took about half an hour, then they could see the farmhouse. The four boys hid in some bushes in the forest nearby, where they could keep an eye on the road and see when Kujou left. Then, the moment he was far enough down the road, they would strike. 

They had to wait almost an hour, but then finally Kujou exited the building. He didn’t come out of the main house, though, he came out of the storage shed. He then seemed to double check the locks on the barn, but completely ignored the house. Did that mean all the important stuff was in there? That might be a good place to start at least. 

Then, Kujou entered his car and finally drove off. Once he was a good distance down the road and for sure wouldn’t be able to see them, the four boys came out of their hiding place and started crossing the final distance between them and the farm. 

They headed for the barn first, since that was where Kujou had double checked the locks. And they really meant locks in plural, because other than the usual lock under the handle, there were two more padlocks that had been added recently. “Well, what do we do about this?” Gaku asked, eyeing the locks. 

Luckily, Iori and Tamaki had both been spending a lot of time with Riku, so they knew their fair share of lockpicking, even though Riku was still the best out of the bunch. The two first years quickly got started on the locks, and it only took about ten minutes before all three were opened. 

Carefully, they opened the door and entered the barn. The first thing they spotted inside, standing just to the left of the door, was the dollhouse. “Yes! We found it!” Tamaki exclaimed. Then, probably in response to Tamaki’s loud exclamation, there was a groan from the other end of the room. Simultaneously, they all turned around and saw a half-conscious Tsumugi sitting in the corner of her room, hands and feet bound. 

Immediately, all four of them disregarded the dollhouse and rushed over to Tsumugi. “Hey, are you okay? Tsumugi?” Ryuu asked, kneeling by her side. Tsumugi groaned again, and this time, she also opened her eyes. “What…? What are you boys doing here?” Was the first thing she said, sounding concerned. 

“We’ve come to save you!” Tamaki declared proudly. The others nodded, and then Iori leaned in to inspect any possible injuries. “What about you? Are you hurt? Can you stand?” He asked. 

Tsumugi shook her head. “No, I’m fine… Just a bit sore and tired… Oh, and hungry! I’m quite hungry.” She said. Hearing that, the four boys relaxed. “Well, we’ll get you something to eat soon, but for now, we need to leave!” Gaku declared. He then took one of Tsumugi’s now free arms and draped it over his shoulders. Ryuu took the other so that they could help get Tsumugi out of there. Iori and Tamaki headed over to grab the dollhouse, but just as they were leaving, the door to the barn slammed shut. 

Startled, they all turned to face the door. Tamaki even nearly dropped the dollhouse on his feet. A second later, they heard the locks turning and immediately felt alarmed. “No!” Gaku yelled, then he let go of Tsumugi and ran over to the door. He found, just as they feared, that the door had been locked again. They were locked in. 

On the other side of the door stood a now smirking Vera. She had come looking for The Collector since he wouldn’t pick up her calls, only to find the place seemingly empty. At least, that is what she thought until she heard voices coming from the barn. Without hesitating, she had closed and locked the door. She would make sure the intruders were dealt with once The Collector returned. 

When Tenn and Riku finished their class and left the classroom, they were surprised to see Nagi and Sougo still in the halls of the school. They immediately walked up to them to ask what had gone wrong. 

“Hey.” Riku said and lightly touched Nagi’s arm, making both him and Sougo turn around to face the twins. “What happened? Why are you still here?” Riku asked. Tenn nodded. “Yeah, because you can’t already be back, can you?” He asked. 

Nagi and Sougo shared a troubled look before turning back to the twins. “Yeah, we were discovered by the headmaster just as we were heading out. The others got away though, so it’s not all lost.” Sougo explained. Once he said that the others got away at least, both twins relaxed slightly. 

Nagi nodded. “Yeah, but now we’re thinking about trying to leave again, just in case the others need some more help. Only, there is a small problem.” He said, looking a bit troubled. Tenn raised an eyebrow in question. “And that is?” He asked when neither Nagi or Sougo elaborated on what the problem was. 

Sighing, Nagi prepared to answer him. “We don’t really know the way.” He admitted. “I mean, we know which bus to take and at which stop to get off, but from there, we would pretty much have to guess.” He explained. 

“Okay, I can see the problem with that.” Riku admitted. “Not if I come.” Tenn said, shocking them all into staring straight at him. “What?” Asked Nagi. “I could come with you.” Repeated Tenn. “I’ve been to the farmhouse before, so I know the way. If you really want to go and help the others, I’ll show you.” He said. 

It was Riku who was first to respond. “But Tenn-nii, you and I were supposed to stay here? What if Kujou gets back and finds you?” He asked in concern. But Tenn only grabbed Riku’s hand, squeezed it and gave his brother a reassuring smile. “I could just show them the way and then stay hidden. But if I don’t go, then they’ll never get there. I’ll be fine, I promise.” He said. 

Riku frowned. “Then I want to come too!” He exclaimed. Now, Tenn grew stern. “Most definitely not! I’m only going because there’s no one else who knows the way! But you have no reason to go, so you should stay here! It’s the safest.” He said. 

“But-” Riku started to argue, but it was Nagi who calmed him down by placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Nagi then leaned down so that he could whisper in Riku’s ear. “You should stay and keep looking for the reflectors. With the time limit approaching fast, we can’t afford to stop looking completely, even with all of this going on.” He said. 

Riku sighed, but what Nagi said made sense. And so, he gave in and nodded, agreeing to staying behind. “Okay, I’ll stay. But you have to promise to be extra careful!” He said, directing that last part at Tenn, who smiled and nodded in response. “I will. I’ll see you later.” He said, and then he followed Nagi and Sougo out of the school building, this time without being spotted. 

“On three, okay? One! Two! Three!” Gaku counted down before him, Ryuu and Tamaki all threw themselves at the door. From the corner of the room, sitting beside Tsumugi, Iori sighed. “I told you, it’s not going to work! You’ll just hurt yourselves.” He said before returning his attention to the housemother. 

Tsumugi was sore from having sat in almost the same position for so long, she was also a bit malnourished, but seemed otherwise fine. Still, Iori didn’t think that they should leave her alone, so he had decided to sit by her side while the others tried to find a way out. 

The barn wasn’t very big, so it was only so long until they discovered that the only way out was the door they had come through. No windows, and the only other door had been boarded shut. Which meant that Gaku, Ryuu and Tamaki quickly went back to trying to find a way to get the first door open, with minor success so far. 

“Well I don’t see you coming up with any ideas!” Gaku roared back at Iori after he dismissed their let’s-throw-ourselves-at-the-door-at-the-same-time-idea. Iori rolled his eyes. “I promise you, the moment I come up with something, I’ll let you know. For now, you might want to try and not dislocate your shoulders? Or else you’re going to be in for a much more unpleasant stay here in this barn.” He answered. 

Gaku turned around and pointedly ignored Iori, then going back to banging and kicking on the door. Ryuu and Tamaki instead went to join Iori. “Sorry about Gaku, he just becomes rude whenever he gets in a bad mood.” Ryuu said. Iori nodded. “I know, and so does everyone who’s been living with him in Anubis House.” He said. Ryuu chuckled awkwardly at that. “I guess you have a point.” He said. 

Tamaki sat down next to Iori and sighed. “You really don’t have any idea on how to get out of here, Iorin? You usually come up with pretty great ideas…” He said. Iori rolled his eyes in response. “You really think that if I had one, I would keep quiet about it? Believe me, I’m trying to think of something just as much as everyone else. But we’ve got zero reception, zero connection to the internet, one blocked door, one locked door, and a near empty barn. I really don’t know what to do.” He said. 

Ryuu nodded thoughtfully. “If only there were some tools left in here, we might be able to break down the doors or a wall. The walls don’t look all that thick after all. But The only stuff in here is a bench, a bucket, a blanket and a dollhouse. Not a lot to work with.” He said. 

“Guys…!” Gaku called out then, but either it wasn’t loud enough, or the others had decided to ignore him, because he didn’t get a reply. “Hey! Come over here!” Gaku called out again, louder this time. Now, they all heard him and compiled. 

“What is it? Did you manage to kick a hole in the door?” Ryuu asked, trying to sound amused. Gaku rolled his eyes in exasperation and shook his head. “Nah, I gave up on that. It wasn’t going to work anyway. But I think there’s someone out there! If you press your ears against the door, you can hear footsteps in the gravel outside!” He said. 

At that, they all rushed to join Gaku in order to verify what he said, even Tsumugi joined them. As they all pressed up against the door, they heard that there was indeed someone moving around out there. In fact, it sounded like it was more than one person. 

“What do we do? Do we call for help?” Asked Tamaki. “But what if it’s Vera and Kujou? Wouldn’t that be bad?” Said Ryuu. Iori shook his head then. “If it is Vera and Kujou, then they probably already know we’re in here, so it wouldn’t matter. If it’s anyone else, they might be able to help us. I say we call out to whoever is out there.” He said. 

They all nodded in agreement and then started banging on the door, calling for help. A moment later, they stopped abruptly. There was now a different, much louder sound coming from outside. Iori motioned for all of them to be silent so that they could listen more closely to what was going on outside. 

As they realized what the sound was, they became alarmed. “It’s an engine, like for a car or something!” Tamaki exclaimed. “And it’s coming right toward us…! Get back!” Gaku called back moments later. And good thing he did, because just a few seconds later, a traktor rammed the door open, making both that and a piece of the wall fall over. 

They all stood and stared at the spectacle in shock, waiting for the dust to fade so that they could see just who had broken through the wall to the barn. Once the dust dispersed, someone got out of the traktor. It was Nagi, grinning brightly and laughing. “I can’t believe that worked! Are you all okay?” He asked. 

“Nagicchi?!” Tamaki exclaimed in shock. “We’re here too!” Someone else called out, and then Sougo and Tenn walked in from behind the traktor. “We thought you might need help. Turns out we were right.” Tenn said, shrugging nonchalantly. 

“Wait, why are you here?” Iori asked, turning to Tenn. “These two didn’t know the way, so I showed them.” He explained, gesturing to Nagi and Sougo. “And good thing I did, otherwise you all would still be stuck in here.” He added. 

Iori scoffed, but he still looked like he wanted to say something, though he seemed unsure whether to voice his thoughts or not. “Is…?” He stared. Tenn seemed to get it though. “No, Riku’s not here. He went back to the house. I only came along because I was the only one who knew the way.” Tenn said. Relieved, Iori nodded. 

However, that was when the relief of having been rescued subsided. “Oh no! The dollhouse!” Tamaki exclaimed. And as they all turned to look at what he had seen, they noticed that the wall that had collapsed when Nagi hit it with the traktor had completely crushed the dollhouse. “Shit, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know the dollhouse was right there…” Nagi said. 

Iori knelt beside it to see if it could be restored, but it was completely crushed. “We won’t be able to restore it. No use to dwell on that now, you couldn’t have known.” He said, looking up at Nagi as he did. However, that was when Iori noticed the second thing that had gone wrong. Other than the dollhouse, there was something else that the wall had collapsed upon… Next to the rubble of the dollhouse, Iori spotted a pale, unmoving hand. He looked around and noticed that one person was missing. “Shit, Tsumugi is under the rubble!” He exclaimed. 

Everything got hysteric after that, as all of them worked to get Tsumugi out of the rubble. Luckily, she was still breathing, and there were no visible big wounds. Only a few planks seemed to have landed on her, but it seemed like she might have fallen over and hit her head on the floor, so she was unconscious. 

“We need to get her out of here!” Ryuu said, then hoisted the housemother up on his back. The others nodded. “Kujou-san could come back anytime, and we need to get Tsumugi somewhere safe. Let’s just leave now.” Tenn added, and nobody had any objections. And so, they all left the farmhouse together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go, another chapter done! I hope you guys liked it. Poor Tsumugi though, she just can't seem to catch a break... I'll be back on Wednesday with the next chpter, so look forward to that! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku is alone at the house, supposed to be looking for the reflectors, when he overhears something. Meanwhile, the others return with Tsumugi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter you guys! Here it is, I hope you enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Returning to the House of Anubis alone felt very strange. Riku was so used to being around people, especially living at a boarding school, it was actually more difficult to find time and places to be alone at. Usually, he was hanging out with Iori and Tamaki, or with all of Sibuna. When they weren’t doing that, he usually found himself either with his brother, or just hanging out in his room with Nagi. So now that almost everyone were off to save Tsumugi, he felt lonely, and perhaps a little bit useless for not doing anything.

For a short while, Riku considered going to Akihiko and see if he needed any help, but quickly decided that would be a bad idea. Kujou was going to be there, and he needed to focus on finding the rest of the reflectors. Time was running out and they still had three reflectors they had yet to find. And so, Riku returned to Anubis House in his solitude. 

When Riku entered the house, the first thing he noticed was that it was eerily quiet. Normally, he and his friends would talk, so even if it was silent, it didn’t feel like it was. He quickly noticed that he was the only student there, Yamato and Mitsuki must still be at school. It was only once he started walking upstairs that he noticed Tsukumo and Vera, both sitting inside Tsukumo’s office, seemingly discussing something. 

Riku frowned, now that he knew that not only was Vera working with Tsukumo, she was also working for Kujou, he was a bit curious as to what was going on. For a minute, he imagined what could happen if all three of them worked together, but quickly dismissed that idea as he remembered how much Tsukumo seemed to dislike Kujou. If he learned that Vera was working for him, then he might never forgive her. 

Riku started crawling on his knees by Tsukumo’s office to avoid being seen by the pair, then he pressed his ear against the crack in the door to best be able to hear what they were saying in there. 

“...you really haven’t been able to figure anything new out?” Vera asked, sounding a bit impatient. 

“No, it’s quite tricky… I’m guessing that one of the reflectors is a mirror of some sort, but I don’t know how it connects to music as well… Then I think another one might be a medicine cup, but I have no idea which one that would be. I’m not even sure if we have any in here.” Tsukumo explained, and this really got Riku’s attention. They were talking about the reflectors. 

Riku could barely make out a sigh that he believed came from Vera. “Well, you keep working on that then, and I’ll keep an extra eye out for a mirror and a medicine cup. Just don’t push yourself too hard, we’ve already found three of the reflectors.” The housemother said. 

Riku gasped, then he got scared that they had heard him and quickly crawled away. And good thing he did, because just after he had rounded the corner into the hallway with the bedrooms, the door to the office opened and he heard someone starting to descend the stairs. Quickly, he made his way over to his own room and closed the door behind him. It was only then that he started to relax and properly take in what he had just heard. 

Vera and Tsukumo had already found three of the reflectors, and Riku had the other three. That means that if they just managed to take the reflectors Tsukumo had found, they would have all of them. They wouldn’t need the zodiac or the dollhouse if he had the remaining ones. This was both good news and bad news. Good because Riku now knew where they all were, and bad because taking them from Tsukumo wouldn’t be easy. 

Riku needed help with this, coming up with a plan to take them back was not something he wanted to do alone. Which meant he would have to wait for Iori and the others to come back. The best he could do right now was to try and find out more. What the reflectors were, where Tsukumo kept them and how secure he kept them. That would make planning to get them back a lot easier. However, doing so would be quite difficult with Tsukumo hanging around his office. 

Riku sighed and sat down on his bed. He needed to come up with a strategy or something, but once again he was reminded of how used he had gotten to have the others around to help him out. He considered himself to be okay at coming up with plans or solving puzzles, but he realized then that a lot of it was a group effort. Someone figured something out, which usually leads to bigger revelations being made. It really wasn’t the same to be doing this alone. 

Riku sighed again, but as he looked up he found that he was no longer alone. In front of him stood Senkhara. Riku gasped and startled so bad that he almost fell off the bed. Senkhara didn’t look faced by this, in fact, she just looked bored. Riku gulped and collected himself. “W-what do you want?” He asked carefully. 

Senkhara frowned. “Why must you delay? You are supposed to be working on the task, and still you allow yourself to be sidetracked! Are you mocking me, child?” She asked, sounding displeased. 

Riku quickly shook his head. “Of course not! And we are working on the task! It’s just… something important came up and a friend needed our help! And- and then Tsukumo keeps interfering! We took his amulet, but he’s still working on the task, and I don’t know how to stop him! Or even if we can stop him!” Riku tried to explain. 

Senkhara’s face scrunched up in disgust at the thought. “The Raven is still causing trouble, huh? Maybe it is about time that I deal with him myself…” She said ominously. And then she vanished, just like that. 

Riku shook his head, still confused by what had just happened. “Wait… what?” He said out loud, trying to get his breathing more under control. “Tsukumo… Is Senkhara going to do something to him?” Riku wondered. Now, he would be lying if he said that he liked the man, but he wasn’t all bad. He wasn’t evil like certain other people (eg Kujou Takamasa), and he had even helped them out a bit at times. When it came down to it, Riku didn’t want anything bad to happen to him, especially not if it might be his fault. 

Having a bad feeling, Riku decided that maybe he should go check on Tsukumo real quick. Make sure that even if Senkhara did do something to him, that it wasn’t anything too bad. And so, Riku exited his room and made his way through the hallway to the office by the stairs. 

However, just as he was about to knock on the door, another door opened. It was the main entrance, and immediately after it opened, there were a lot of things happening at once. The first one inside was Sougo, who was holding the door open. Then came Gaku and Ryuu holding a semi-conscious Tsumugi between them. And after them followed Tenn, Nagi, Tamaki and Iori. They had returned from Kujou’s farmhouse. 

Riku’s worries about Tsukumo were quickly forgotten as he ran down to meet the others. “What’s going on?” He asked worriedly as he came down. The first thing that happened was that Iori spotted him and gave him a quick hug, which Riku barely managed to reciprocate, his mind being focused on Tsumugi. Iori then let go of him only to grab a hold of his hand a moment later, and use that to lead him into the living room, where Gaku and Ryuu had laid Tsumugi down on one of the sofas. 

“Tsumugi hit her head and passed out. She seems mostly fine otherwise.” Iori explained. Then, the raven-haired boy looked down in guilt. “And I’m sorry, but the dollhouse… It broke, we couldn’t save it.” He admitted. 

Riku nodded sadly, of course he felt discouraged by those news, but he could think more about what that might mean later. For now, they all needed to focus on Tsumugi. And apparently, she was starting to come to. “I’ll go get Tsukumo, he might be able to help.” Sougo said then. Riku turned to him and grabbed his wrist. “He’s in his office.” He informed the second year, who nodded in appreciation and then left. 

Tsumugi groaned and let her head roll from one side to the next, then her eyes slowly started to flutter open. Nagi and Gaku leaned over her while the others decided to stay back to not overwhelm her. “What…? What’s going on?” Tsumugi said, her words slurred a bit. “You hit your head. How are you feeling?” Nagi asked. 

Tsumugi blinked a few times, as if she was trying to get her bearings. Then she groaned again and let her head fall back against the sofa. “My head is pounding… And I feel a bit dizzy… How did I hit my head again? What was I doing?” She asked. 

Nagi and Gaku looked at one another, a bit unsure of how much she already realized. “Well, what is the last thing you remember? Maybe we can fill you in on the rest?” Nagi asked. By now, Sougo had returned with Tsukumo and was explaining the situation. Other than that, Vera had also noticed the commotion and entered. For a second, her eyes widened in shock at seeing Tsumugi there, but she quickly collected herself. “I’ll call an ambulance.” She announced and went to make the call. 

Tsumugi shook her head. “I’m not sure… It’s all really hazy… I think the last thing I remember is… We won the bid. And I was asked to help out at the exhibition.” She said. Now everyone shared worried glances. That had been a long time ago, Tsumugi had lost multiple weeks worth of memory. And more importantly, she didn’t remember anything about being kidnapped. 

Vera returned, and they were all sure that she was relieved upon seeing Tsumugi’s state and learning of her memory loss. After all, Vera was the one responsible for this. Not that she knew that they all knew. Vera told them an ambulance was on the way, that it was likely that Tsumugi had a concussion and that Vera herself would make sure she got to the hospital okay. She probably just wanted to see whether her memories came back or not. 

The boys considered telling on Vera right now, but then decided against it. It probably wouldn’t be that good for Tsumugi to get such a shock so soon after waking up. And so, Nagi turned to give her some other explanation. “You were taking a walk in the woods earlier today. And you fell over a log and hit your head on the ground. It most likely caused a concussion.” He said. Tsumugi nodded, accepting that explanation. 

Shortly after, the ambulance arrived to take Tsumugi and Vera to the hospital. Once they were gone, the students and Tsukumo were all left to their own devices. 

It was late, and Tsukumo was in the cellar when Vera came back to the house. She told him that Tsumugi did have a concussion and would be staying the night at the hospital. She still had not regained any memories, but with time and possibly some therapy, they would probably come back. Tsumugi’s father had come by, and it had been decided that when Tsumugi would leave the hospital, she would stay at Anubis House for a while. Her father was going away for a few weeks and didn’t want her living alone in the meantime, so that was why. 

Tsukumo grunted but agreed to it anyway. He may say he didn’t care, but he had obviously been a bit concerned earlier that day when he had seen the younger woman come to. Vera wasn’t sure why that bothered her, but she was sure that Tsukumo cared more for other people than he let on. Vera herself had been glad when it was revealed that Tsumugi would stay at the house, because it meant that she could keep an eye on her and her memories. 

Once that was all out of the way, Vera and Tsukumo quickly went back to the topic of the reflectors and the tunnels. But then the strangest thing happened. They both felt a cold gust of wind coming from behind them and turned around, only to stand face-to-face with a woman. She was devoid of colors, nearly transparent, and wore clothes that looked ancient. Her face radiated anger and contempt. 

The lady took a step towards them, and both Vera and Tsukumo flinched in fear at the action. “You will give up on the Mask of Anubis!” She said, loudly and commanding. “Or face the consequences.” She added, her voice cold. Then, she grabbed a hold of Vera’s hand, the point where their palms met started glowing, and then Vera screamed. Tsukumo rushed to save her, but he was too late… 

With a startled gasp, Tsukumo awoke and sat up in his desk chair. His breathing was laboured and he felt a bit disoriented as he looked around the room. That strange lady was nowhere to be found… What was that? Had it all been a dream? But Tsukumo didn’t remember ever going to sleep. Still, he didn’t know how else to explain it. 

Tsukumo sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. Even though he just woke up, he felt tired, like he hadn’t slept at all, and a strong feeling of dread rested upon his shoulders. He tried to dismiss it all as just a bad dream, but he had trouble doing that. To appease his worries, he decided to go check on Vera. She would most likely know nothing about it and reassure him that it had all been dreamt up. 

So, Tsukumo stood and started making his way up the stairs to what used to be the attic, and was now Vera’s room. He knocked carefully on the door, but as he waited, he received no answer. Tsukumo frowned, was Vera still asleep? But it was almost time to get started with breakfast, so she had to be up already. 

The feeling of dread started to return, but Tsukumo was not ready to give up yet. He knocked again, harder this time. If Vera was in her room there was no way she was going to miss it, even if she was asleep. He waited a few minutes, just in case she really had been sleeping and needed a moment. However, five full minutes passed and nobody opened the door. In fact, no sound came from within the room at all. 

The feeling of dread grew with every second, but Tsukumo decided to try one last thing. It was possible Vera had already gone downstairs, so he would open the door to her room to confirm she wasn’t there, then he would go downstairs to find her. Taking a deep breath, Tsukumo opened the door. “Vera? Are you in here? I’m coming in!” He announced, so that if she was in a state in which she did not wish to be seen, she would have time to hide. 

Sooner or later, Tsukumo would have to look, so he turned his head and started looking around the room. At first glance, the room looked like Vera usually left it. Everything was in order. The bed was made, and when Tsukumo placed a hand upon the pillow, it was cold. Vera had to have left a while ago. 

However, as Tsukumo turned around, he gasped. In the center of the room there was an armchair in magenta. It stood facing the window, so Tsukumo could only see the back. But above the top of it, a blond head of hair stuck up. It had to be Vera. But why was she sitting there? And why was she so silent? Tsukumo had a real bad feeling about this, but he needed to take a look. 

Swallowing his nerves, Tsukumo rounded the armchair, and then gasped at the sight in front of him. Vera sat in the chair, like he had expected. She was wearing the same clothes she wore yesterday, a flower patterned skirt that just about covered her knees, a white blouse and a coral cardigan. But she was frozen in place, not moving a single muscle. Her eyes were open, but they were dull, there was no life left in them. Her hands rested on the sides of the armchair, palm up, and in her right palm was what Tsukumo recognized as the mark of Anubis, and ancient curse. 

Tsukumo whimpered at the sight, his first thought was that Vera had been killed. However, as he took a closer look, he found that she still had a pulse and she was also breathing. She was still alive, but it was as if she was frozen. Immediately, Tsukumo remembered his “dream”. Only, now he believed that it was no dream at all. The mark of Anubis was on the same hand that the weird lady had grabbed last night, so this must be her doing. 

“Oh Vera… What did she do to you?” Tsukumo asked sadly, though he wasn’t really expecting a reply. He then recalled something else from what happened last night, the woman had told them to stop their search for the Mask of Anubis. Was that what she wanted? Did this mean that there was a chance he would get Vera back if he did what she said. To be sure, Tsukumo decided to ask, hoping he would get an answer. 

“Please, I’ll do anything… Just tell me how to break this curse. Tell me how to get Vera back...!” He called out. It was dead silent in the room, and for a minute, Tsukumo thought he would never know the answer. But then, an eerily cold voice whispered in his ear. “Return the falcons…” It said. Tsukumo quickly recognized it as the voice belonging to the woman who had cursed Vera. 

Tsukumo nodded thoughtfully. “Return the falcons… The reflectors! She wants me to return them to the children?” He asked himself. When he felt the cold presence that undoubtedly belonged to the woman leave, he took that as a sign that it was exactly what she wanted him to do. 

Tsukumo sighed and looked up at Vera, his face determined. “Do not worry my dear, I will fix this.” He said, then he stood up and leaned down to press a kiss to Vera’s forehead. Then Tsukumo took a sheet from Vera’s wardrobe and covered her with it, just in case someone thought to look for her. Then he left. 

“If she wants the brats to have the reflectors, then they will get the reflectors.” Tsukumo said, voice determined. He couldn’t make it too obvious though, that would be suspicious. So, the first thing Tsukumo did was put the face back on the doll, put the doll in the box it had been in originally, and move that box down into the cellar. Then he took the stained glass and put it back in its original window, casting another glance at the now covered Vera before leaving again. 

Finally, Tsukumo left his clock on the middle of his desk, right in the open. It lay on top of his notes, where it already stood that the stained glass window in the attic was one reflector, and that he kept the doll in the cellar. 

Feeling happy with that, Tsukumo left his office. Tsumugi would arrive at the house today, and he needed to see to her until the children woke up. Then he would leave the house for the day. If the students were as clever as he thought they were, then they would have found all of the reflectors by the time he returned. If not, he would make it more obvious when he came back. Hopefully, this would appease the woman and break Vera’s curse. 

When Riku came down the next morning, Nagi in tow, he and everyone else found the breakfast table was strangely empty. Normally, Vera would have at least started by the time the first people started making their way downstairs. When they checked the kitchen, they found some simple toast and cereal prepared. This was strange though, it was so unlike how Vera usually did it. Someone was just about to go get her when the doorbell rang. 

Before anyone had the chance to get to the door, Tsukumo practically ran down the stairs. They all looked at him funnily as he opened the door. However, the strange eagerness coming from Tsukumo vanished the moment Tsumugi stepped into the house. “Hey guys!” She said, smiling tiredly. 

Everyone immediately rushed forward to meet her. “Tsumugi! How are you feeling? We are so glad you’ll be staying here!” Nagi exclaimed. Tsumugi giggled. “I feel better, though I’m still a bit tired and get headaches if I wear myself out. My memory is still not improving much, but the doctors said to give it time.” He responded. 

Tamaki then enveloped her in an embrace. “We really missed you!” He exclaimed. That was when Tsukumo interfered. “Okay, that’s it! Let the woman breathe! She’s here to take it easy, so I want you all to behave these next few days. No mischief, and for the love of God, don’t make a ruckus!” He said. 

Tsumugi giggled and turned to the older man. “Aww, you do care!” She said and gave him a quick hug, which made him tense up and frown funnily. Tsukumo shook his head, pushed Tsumugi off, and then returned upstairs without another word. 

Meanwhile, Tsumugi and the others headed back into the living room. When Tsumugi went into the kitchen and saw the breakfast prepared for them all, she gasped. “Well, this won’t do! Just hang on a few minutes and I’ll make you something!” She said. 

The students all started objecting then. “You can’t! You’re supposed to be resting!” Sougo exclaimed. Ryuu nodded. “Yeah, we’ll be fine with this! Maybe Vera was feeling a bit under the weather. Either way, you should just go lie down.” He said. 

Tsumugi scoffed. “Nonsense! I can go lie down later, this won’t take long! And if you’re so concerned, then why don’t you help me? I’ve really missed all of you, so it would be fun to do something together.” She said. 

The boys nodded, and then started filing into the kitchen. All except for the five Sibuna members though. They wanted to take the chance and talk a bit. After everything that happened yesterday, there hadn’t been a lot of time to talk. Mostly, they had just discussed how they rescued Tsumugi. 

In fact, they had been so focused on her that Riku had completely forgotten about his discovery in the meantime. That is, until this morning. The redhead thus pulled the other Sibuna members to him to tell them all about it. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you guys…” He started. 

Everyone’s attention was on Riku now, so he got right to it. “Yesterday, I heard Tsukumo and Vera talking. They said they already have three of the reflectors! And since we have three already, they have all the rest! We have to get them.” He said. 

The others were shocked. “Wait, all three of them? They really said they had all three?” Iori asked in disbelief. Riku nodded. “Yes, that’s what they said.” He repeated. “Well, that’s great, isn’t it? Now we know where to look for the final reflectors, and then we can do the task!” Tamaki exclaimed. However, the others didn’t share his joy. 

“But Tamaki-kun, it will be really difficult to get them. Just look at how long it took us to come up with a plan to get the amulet back. And we don’t have much time left.” Sougo pointed out, making Tamaki pout in disappointment. “Yeah, it’s not like Tsukumo ever just goes out. Otherwise, we could take the reflectors from wherever he keeps them, do the task and then return them! He would be none the wiser.” Nagi said. 

Riku nodded. “Yeah, that would be ideal, but like you said, he never just leaves the house for no reason.” He said. The other all nodded in agreement, but all of them were clearly disappointed. 

However, then something strange happened. Tsukumo came into the room and called out for Tsumugi. The housemother stuck her head out of the kitchen and smiled. “What is it?” She asked. “I’m just going out!” Tsukumo declared. “I’ll probably be gone quite long! Don’t expect me back until dinnertime. You’ll have to take care of yourself today, is that okay? You can still ask the students for help with whatever.” He said. Tsumugi nodded and wished him goodbye. 

Riku and the rest of Sibuna all looked at each other in shock. “Did he just…” Tamaki started. “Just go out?” Nagi finished. “He sure did.” Iori answered, though he was as shocked by this as everyone else. “And he’ll be gone all day…” Riku said. “Which means we can search his office!” Sougo exclaimed. 

However, searching Tsukumo’s office would simply have to wait for a bit. Because right then, Tsumugi called out and announced that breakfast was ready. They all gave each other a knowing look. Once they had eaten, they would all go up to Tsukumo’s office and look for the final three reflectors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Senkharagot to Tsukumo and Vera! But at least now Sibuna has a chance to get the reflectors. Will they make it in time? Find out on Saturday, which is when I'll be back with the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading, and also thank you if you decide to leave kudos and/or comments! <3


	46. Chapter 46

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Tsukumo left, Sibuna goes to find the three reflectors that he has. But will they make it in time to clear the task?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a new chapter you guys! I hope you like it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

“Is the coast clear?” Tamaki asked. He, Nagi, Iori and Riku were about to enter Tsukumo’s office to try and find the remaining reflectors. Meanwhile, Sougo stood outside, keeping watch. “Yeah, no one is in sight. You can enter.” Sougo replied.

The others nodded in confirmation, then entered the office. They hurriedly split up to start looking, after all, they didn’t have long before they had to leave for school. They started looking through drawers and shelves, but then Riku noticed something, right on top of the desk. “Iori! Look here! Wasn’t one of the combinations of symbols from the zodiac ‘time’ and ‘gold’? Could it be a golden clock?” He asked. 

Iori, Nagi and Tamaki all joined him at the desk. Iori looked at the clock, then picked it up to check for falcons. When he found what he was looking for, he grinned. “It definitely is! This is one of the reflectors.” He said, then he started looking through the other things on the desk, near where they had found the clock. 

It was Nagi who first noticed the notes. “Guys, look here! Tsukumo has written it all down right here.” He said, showing them all the papers. “It says that one of the reflectors is a doll's eye, and the other is a piece of colored glass!” Tamaki observed. Riku nodded. “It also says that the doll is kept in a box in the cellar, and the stained glass window with the piece we need is in the attic, and it looks like a sunset.” He said. 

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Tamaki asked eagerly. “Let’s go get them!” He exclaimed. However, Iori frowned and stopped his enthusiastic friend. “Hang on a minute! Don’t you think this is a bit too easy? It’s not like Tsukumo to just leave important things like this out in the open. And it’s not like he left in a hurry either.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “I agree, it seems a bit odd… You don’t think it’s a trap, do you?” He asked in concern. “I honestly have no idea.” Iori said, but it was clear that it still bothered him. Then Nagi clapped his hands together, making all of them turn to him. “Well, we won’t find out if we just stand here, and we’re running out of time. We really need to finish this today, so I say we follow Tsukumo’s notes for now.” He said. 

Riku sighed. “Nagi is right. We can’t afford to not take this bait, even if it is a trap. There is too much at stake.” He said. Tamaki nodded enthusiastically, and Iori had no choice but to agree as well. Even though this was suspiciously easy, they had to do it. 

“If we hurry up, we might have time to go and get the reflectors before school.” Riku said. “Then let’s go right now!” Tamaki declared. The four of them exited the office after that and explained everything to Sougo. 

“This won’t take as long if we split up and search the two places at the same time.” Iori suggested. Sougo quickly agreed. “I can keep being on the lookout up here and warn you guys if Tsukumo returns. Then two can go into the cellar, and two can go into the attic.” He said. 

Riku nodded. “I’m the one with the locket, so I should go into the cellar, in case we need to use the secret tunnel in the kitchen.” He said. Iori quickly volunteered to go with him. “I’ll come with you to find the doll.” He said. 

Nagi and Tamaki eyed each other then. “That means you and I get the attic?” Tamaki asked and Nagi nodded. “Yep, sure do.” He answered. “Is everyone okay with that?” Riku asked then. Everybody nodded, and then, because they didn’t have a lot of time until they needed to leave for school, they split up to do their things. 

While Sougo stayed and Iori and Riku descended the stairs, Tamaki and Nagi instead made their way through the hallways and to the stairs leading up to the attic. Before they entered however, they realized something and stopped. “What if Vera is up there? I mean, she wasn’t down in the kitchen before…” Tamaki said. 

Nagi shrugged. “We’ll just have to knock and see, won’t we? Hopefully she won’t be in, or we’ll just have to come back later.” He said. Tamaki nodded, albeit hesitantly. Then they ascended the stairs and knocked on the door. When they received no reply, they entered. 

The room seemed empty, much to their relief. “Okay, let’s find that window.” Nagi declared, and then they started looking. It didn’t take very long, seeing as there were only three windows in the attic, and only one of them was of a sunset. Once they had the window, it was easy to find the right piece and pry it off. “Yeah! We got it!” Tamaki declared and high-fived Nagi. 

Nagi looked at the time then. “We won’t have time to go into the tunnels and finish the task now, we have to get to school.” He said, sounding disappointed. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, but maybe we could head to the library and use the secret passage during lunch?” He suggested. Nagi nodded and agreed that they could bring that up with the others. 

They were just about to leave when Tamaki’s foot got caught on a white sheet that partially lay on the floor. He tumbled to the ground, taking the sheet with him. “Are you okay?” Nagi asked, kneeling next to Tamaki. But then, all thoughts about Tamaki’s wellbeing went out the window as he spotted what had been hidden beneath the sheet. Without saying anything, Nagi pointed at the armchair behind them. 

Tamaki, curious by Nagi’s shock, turned around to see what had spooked him, and saw Vera sitting frozen in the armchair. “Shit!” He exclaimed and quickly got onto his feet. “Vera! We didn’t see you there! This isn’t what it looked like…! We were just… Uh…” He started, but he couldn’t come up with an excuse. 

However, Vera remained frozen, much to Tamaki and Nagi’s confusion. “Vera?” Nagi asked, waving a hand in front of her face, but he got no reaction. Then Tamaki gasped. “You don’t think… Tsukumo stuffed her?!” He asked, horrified. Nagi hit his arm at the very idea. “Don’t be ridiculous. He wouldn’t do that.” He said. 

Nagi stepped forward carefully then and held out a hand in front of her mouth. “She’s breathing.” He said. “So, she’s alive? But what’s wrong with her? She’s like a zombie or something…” Tamaki said. Nagi just shook his head. “I have no idea, but I think we should get out of here.” He said. 

But then Tamaki noticed something. “Wait! Look at her palm!” He said. And sure enough, as Nagi looked, he noticed that she had the same mark that all of Sibuna had. “She’s been Senkhara’d” Tamaki said, making Nagi snort. 

“You don’t think she can hear us, do you?” Tamaki asked then, his voice filled with worry. “I mean, we mentioned the secret entrance to the tunnels from the library. It would be really bad if she knew about that, right?” He asked. 

Nagi rolled her eyes. “Well, let’s hope not. But if she can hear us, you just made sure she heard it twice.” He said, making Tamaki immediately cover his mouth. “Let’s just leave, the others need to know about this.” Nagi said and Tamaki nodded. “Yeah… But let’s not tell them about how we might have told her about the… you know what…” He said. Nagi nodded in agreement, and then they left the attic. 

“And she was just frozen?” Riku asked, in shock after hearing Tamaki and Nagi’s story. After splitting up, he and Iori had quickly found the doll and reunited with Sougo. When Nagi and Tamaki returned, they really needed to leave for school and decided to do the task during lunch. However, on the way to school, Nagi and Tamaki told them how they had discovered a frozen Vera with the mark of Anubis on her hand. 

Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, she just sat there, staring straight ahead, but her eyes were all empty and dull. She was breathing and everything, so she’s not dead. But it was seriously unnerving.” He said. “She must have been cursed too.” Nagi added. 

That was when Riku finally remembered his latest encounter with Senkhara. “Shit.” He exclaimed, making all of them look at him with questioning gazes. “When you guys were off saving Tsumugi, I saw Senkhara again. I told her how it was difficult because Tsukumo kept interfering, and then she started saying that maybe it was time she did something about it! That must be why Vera is cursed.” He said. 

Iori turned to Riku then, concern written all over his face. “And you’re just telling us this now?” He asked. Riku shook his head. “I’m sorry, I completely forgot. But maybe that is why Tsukumo suddenly started leaving the reflectors for us to find. Maybe Senkhara is threatening him!” He said. 

Iori nodded. “That’s possible, but we don’t have time to worry about that right now. We finally have all the reflectors, so we need to go and do the task as soon as we can.” He said. Nagi, Sougo and Tamaki also agreed. “Yeah, we’ll meet up at lunch and head over to the library.” Sougo said. 

Riku sighed but nodded. It was clear that it still bothered him, but for now he needed to focus on the current task. “You’re right. It’s time to finish this task. I just hope we’re not too late…” He said. 

Tsukumo had originally planned on returning to the House of Anubis a bit later, but he quickly ran out of things to do and decided to just return. The brats were supposed to be in school right now anyway, so if they had yet to find the reflectors, he could just give them some more time by going out again this afternoon. 

When he got back, the first thing Tsukumo did was check on Tsumugi, who seemed to be doing fine. He then went up to his office and saw, much to his delight, that the clock was gone from the desk. Now he just needed to check on the doll and the stained glass piece, if they were gone, that must mean that the kids had taken them all. 

Tsukumo ventured down into the cellar first, so that he could check on the doll. The box where he had put it was where he left it, so he went right over to it. When he looked inside the box, he found that the doll was no longer there. He did a silent cheer and then left the cellar. He never thought he would be this excited by having his things taken by the children, by having them get ahead of him in the tasks. 

Tsukumo went back upstairs, it was time to check on the final reflector, to see if they had found that one as well. While doing that, he figured he could also check up on Vera. If the kids had taken all of the reflectors, then he had done what he promised and Vera should return to normal. 

Tsukumo walked through the hallways towards the attic, but before he reached the door, it opened on its own. Or at least that is what it looked like. When the door was fully opened, it revealed Vera standing on the other side, her gaze was still dull and empty, but she was moving, albeit stiffly. 

Tsukumo rushed up to her and placed both his hands on her shoulders. “Vera? Oh dear, how are you feeling?” He asked, hoping she would snap out of it. Vera swayed back and forth a bit, then she blinked a couple of times, life returning to her eyes more and more, and then she looked up at Tsukumo, looking dazed. “What?” Was all she managed to get out, her voice hoarse. 

Tsukumo sighed in relief and pulled Vera into his embrace. Vera did nothing to push away, but she also did not reciprocate. She just stood there and let him hug her, still not understanding what was going on. When Tsukumo pulled away, he gave her an apologetic look that quickly turned concerned. “How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened?” He asked. 

Vera shook her head and cleared her throat. “I… I’m sorry, I feel a bit disoriented. What happened exactly?” She asked. Tsukumo sighed. “Come, you should lie down. I’ll get you some tea and then I can explain everything.” He offered. Vera nodded graciously and followed Tsukumo. 

Tsukumo left to get the tea, and then he joined Vera up in her room again. He cast a quick glance at the stained glass window and found that the reflector was in fact gone. However, something that wasn’t gone was the mark on Vera’s palm, meaning they weren’t fully in the clear yet. The woman could still come after them again if they weren’t careful. 

Tsukumo then proceeded to explain what had happened to Vera. He told her about the visit they received from the strange woman, of how she had grabbed and cursed Vera. He told her how he had found her frozen in her armchair and what he’d had to do to break the curse. He apologized to her for losing the reflectors, but insisted that it was more important to get Vera back to normal. 

Vera nodded thoughtfully. As she listened, she struggled to take everything in, it all seemed so unbelievable. She still struggled to remember what had happened, but she hoped that it would all come back to her in time. It was unfortunate that they had lost all their progress, but she was flattered that Tsukumo had chosen her over the quest. 

“Thank you.” Vera said, and she meant it. Tsukumo smiled and ensured that it was no problem. “I say we lay low for a while, but I’m sure it’s not over yet. We may still have a chance to get our hands on the mask.” He said. Vera nodded. “I would hope so.” She said. 

After that, Tsukumo left Vera alone, the housemother needed some time to rest after what she had been through. And Tsukumo needed to plan what to do next. He wanted the mask, he wanted to see the end of the tunnels, but all of that might have to wait. For now, the most important thing to him was that Vera was once again safe. 

Once the bell rang, signalling the end of the current class and the start of the lunch break, all of Sibuna gathered outside of the school. They decided to just skip lunch all together so that they would have as much time as possible to finish the task. Iori said that Akihiko should be off to lunch by now as well, leaving the library empty. But if that wasn’t the case, they needed to have enough time to make it to the house, through the entirety of the tunnels, and back, all in an hour. 

When they got to the Watanabe Library, they saw that Akihiko was indeed gone. The door was locked, but it wasn’t that hard to pick the lock, so just a few minutes later they were inside the building. They immediately opened the secret passage into the tunnels, crawled inside one by one, and then closed it behind them. Hopefully, the library would still be empty when they returned, otherwise they would have to return via the house, which would take longer. 

But for now, they had to focus on finishing this task. However, as they made their way through the tunnel and into the chamber, Iori, who was going first, spotted something worrying. “Shit… Guys, time is almost up! We have to hurry!” He exclaimed. 

And as the five of them entered the chamber, they all saw that the moon was almost completely covering the sun on the wall. Also, the beam of light that hit the first hand looked a lot thinner than usual. Probably, the moon blocking the sun on the wall symbolized something blocking the light that shone into the room. 

“Quick! Everyone, take a reflector! Place them on the pedestals!” Riku exclaimed. They didn’t have a lot of light, but hopefully it would be enough to finish the task. Riku, who still had two, placed the first one and then quickly the second one. He was relieved to find that they still reflected and bent the light. 

Tamaki had the third one, and that was already placed by the time Riku was done with the second one. From there, it shone onto the fourth pedestal, where Sougo was struggling to get the dolleye on correctly. Finally, he got the eye just right and the light hit it, sending the beam forth to the fifth pedestal. 

And then everything went wrong. The clock stopped ticking, and at the same time, the light was completely blocked off, making the chamber pitch black. There was a sound like that of gears turning and something retreating, which startled all of them. Iori was the first one who managed to get out a flashlight from his bag. And when he turned it on, they realized what that sound was. The pedestals shaped like hands had all retreated into the ground, leaving the reflectors laying on the ground. 

“No!” Riku exclaimed as he bent down to pick up the closest reflector, which just so happened to be Tsukumo’s golden watch. “What just happened? Did we fail?” Tamaki asked, sounding worried. “I… I don’t know.” Iori answered. And as they waited, they soon noticed that the moon and the sun kept moving, which also meant that whatever was blocking the light disappeared, making the room light up again. But the pedestals stayed down, no matter how long they waited. 

Riku let out a sob. “We failed… Does this mean…?” He started. Hearing his broken voice, Iori quickly walked over and wrapped his arms around the redhead’s shaking frame. “It’s okay, we’ll figure something out, we always do, right? We’ll think of a solution. There has to be a way. I bet Watanabe Ritsu had a backup way to clear the task, or maybe just another way into the chamber of the mask. Another tunnel perhaps? EIther way, we’ll find it.” He said, trying to comfort his boyfriend. 

Riku nodded, though everyone could see the fear clearly taking him over. In fact, all of them were afraid. Nagi carefully touched his wrist, where his mark of Anubis was. The curse lay heavily on all of their shoulders, they all knew that if they couldn’t get to the mask, Senkhara would kill them. But so far, nothing had happened, which meant that maybe there was another way. And if they just managed to find it, everything would be okay. 

“For now, let’s leave. We’ll just have to take some time and think this over, alright? I’m sure we’ll come up with something.” Iori said, helping Riku to his feet. No one said anything, but they all wordlessly started to leave, which Iori took as a sign that they agreed. Iori kept a strong grip on Riku, feeling how much the other boy was trembling. Iori had to believe there was still a way to get to the mask, he didn’t want to think of what would happen otherwise. 

By the time school was over and everyone started heading back to the house, nothing had happened. It had now been a couple of hours since Sibuna failed the task, and so far they had not heard anything from Senkhara. While they were still on edge, it was a bit comforting that she had not appeared yet. If there was no way to reach the mask, surely she would have come to them by now. 

It was one of those days when all students quit school at almost the same time, and so everyone who lived at Anubis House were now walking back there together, even though they did walk in smaller groups. When they all reached the house and made their way inside, they saw Tsumugi and Vera talking in the living room. It seemed like Tsumugi wanted to help since Vera seemed tired, but Vera insisted that Tsumugi was the one who really needed the rest. 

Upon seeing Vera awake, all of Sibuna eyed each other warily. They also noted that she had wrapped some bandage around her hand, concealing the mark of Anubis. So, she had woken up, but was most likely still cursed. Otherwise, why would she bother to hide the palm of her hand? 

In the end, Vera and Tsumugi’s argument ended when the house’s phone rang. Sighing, Vera left to answer the call, leaving Tsumugi to do whatever she wanted in her absence. At least, she would have been able to do that had everyone not come home already. The boys all fretted over Tsumugi and told her to rest, that if there was something that needed to be done around the house, she should just ask them. 

Then Vera returned, still holding the phone in her hands. She looked concerned, like she had just been dealt some bad news, however, her face grew sympathetic as her eyes landed on Riku and Tenn. Immediately, all eyes turned to the twins and the atmosphere turned tense. 

“Riku-kun, Tenn-kun, I just got a call from the hospital. I’m sorry, but it seems your grandmother has taken a turn for the worse.” Vera said, breaking the tense silence. “What?” Asked Riku, sounding worried. “Is she going to be okay? What did they say?” Tenn followed up. 

Vera shook her head. “I’m not certain of all the details. They said she had some kind of attack. She seems to be stable at the moment, but they are a bit worried.” She explained. Riku and Tenn shared a worried look, then turned back to Vera. “Could you drive us there?” They asked, all thoughts of Vera working for Kujou went right out the window. 

Vera nodded. “Of course I can, I’ll go get my jacket and start the car right now. I’ll be able to come back to pick you up later as well.” She said. Riku and Tenn nodded and then left to get some things before exiting the house. In their hurry to go, Riku only managed to give Iori and his other friends an apologetic look. But he knew that they all understood that he needed to get to his Gran. 

In the car on the way to the hospital, Riku got a few texts from Iori asking how he was feeling, offering to be there if he needed it. Riku was grateful, but he wasn’t sure if he had really shown that. He had been a bit distracted during the trip after all. 

Once they reached the hospital, the twins told Vera that they would like to stay for as long as possible. Normally, Vera would have wanted them to be back at the house by 10 PM, but since their grandmother had gotten worse, she would make an exception. So, once she had assured them that she would be there when visitation hours ended, and that they could call her if they wanted to go back earlier, she left. 

Riku and Tenn quickly made their way to their grandmother’s room. Emi was still sleeping when they got there, and instead the twins got to talk to a doctor who was checking up on her. They asked the doctor, a middle-aged man, what had happened. The doctor explained that a few hours earlier, Emi had had a sort of seizure-like attack. She had woken up briefly about an hour later, but she was very weak and in quite a lot of pain. The really worrisome part was that no one could tell just what was wrong with her. The attic had come out of nowhere and none of the tests had shown any results they could make any sense of. 

Tenn and Riku thanked the doctor for taking care of Emi, then joined the older woman at her bedside. The doctor finally told them they would keep giving her fluids and keep her under close observation until they knew more. After that, he left the twins alone with their grandmother. 

It was hard to see Emi like that, she had always been so strong, energetic and happy. For the duration of their visit, Emi stayed asleep, though perhaps that was for the best. If she woke up and was in a lot of pain, it might have been hard for Tenn and Riku to deal with. 

As the time for visitation hours to end drew closer, Tenn excused himself to go to the bathroom. While he was gone, Riku brought Emi’s hand up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss there, murmuring wishes for her to get better against her hand. And that was when he saw it. 

When Riku lifted Emi’s arm, her sleeve rolled back, revealing more of her arm than he had seen before. And there, further up her arm, Riku could make out something black against her skin. WIth his heart pounding in his chest, Riku rolled back the sleeve the rest of the way and gasped when he spotted the mark of Anubis on Emi’s arm. She had been cursed, just like Riku, Iori and the rest of Sibuna. 

“No, no, no… How did that happen?” He asked, feeling more and more afraid by the second. Then he realized something. The doctors said that Emi’s attack happened a few hours earlier, which happened to be around the same time that Riku and his friends failed with the task. 

Then there was a voice, a cold laughter that could vaguelly be heard throughout the room. Riku immediately recognized it as Senkhara. “Watch the timepiece. Do not fail me again.” She whispered then. Riku looked around, frantically trying to spot Senkhara, but he couldn’t. She was nowhere to be seen. It was then that another horrible realization hit Riku. He turned back and watched his grandmother with worry. “Gran is the timepiece…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Sibuna actually fail a test? They sure did! And Gran is the timepiece, oh no!!! What will happen next? Come back on Monday to find out, because that's when I'll be back with the next chapter! Thank you so much for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments <3


	47. Chapter 47

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku and Tenn return from the hospital and in light of new discoveries, Sibuna really need to find a way to advance through the tunnels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with the next chapter! I hope you guys will like it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

When Tenn returned to the room his grandmother was in, he was surprised to see Riku crying. In turn, Riku quickly covered Emi’s arm again, so that Tenn wouldn’t see the mark. Surely, the doctors had already seen the mark, but without knowing what it meant, they must have assumed that it was just a tattoo.

Tenn asked what was wrong, but Riku couldn’t tell his brother about the mark of Anubis and the curse. How their grandmother’s worsening condition was all his fault. Riku told him that it was just the stress and worry getting to him. Tenn looked suspicious, but he didn’t press the issue any further, afraid the stress would push his brother over the edge. 

Shortly after that, visitation hours were over, and the twins had to leave. They both pressed a quick kiss to their grandmother’s forehead and promised to come visit her again soon. When they exited the hospital, Tenn and Riku found Vera waiting at the parking lot, just like she had said. They entered the car and remained silent the entire way back to the house. 

It was very late by the time they returned and Vera said that everyone had already gone to bed, and so should Riku and Tenn do. She left the twins to their own devices, after which Tenn gave Riku a hug before excusing himself to go to bed. For another minute, Riku just stood there. He was tired and knew he should go to bed and get some much needed sleep. However, he couldn’t stop thinking about the mark on Emi’s arm. He needed to tell someone about it. 

And so, Riku carefully walked over to the room that belonged to Iori and Tamaki. At first, Riku considered knocking, but that could easily wake up Tamaki as well, and right now Riku only wanted to speak to Iori. So, instead of knocking, Riku carefully opened the door. 

Once he did, Riku was surprised to see one of the lights were still on. When he turned, he saw that it was the lamp by Iori’s bedside, and that the raven-haired boy was still awake, reading a book in his bed. 

As he noticed Riku in the open doorway, Iori quickly put down his book and stood up. “Hey, you’re back.” He whispered, as to not wake his sleeping roommate. Riku smiled sadly and nodded. “Could we talk for a minute? I need to tell you about something.” Riku asked. 

“Of course.” Iori answered, and then he followed Riku out into the living room, so that they could talk without waking anyone else up. The two settled down on the sofa and Riku immediately snuggled up against Iori’s side, letting his head fall onto his shoulder. As Iori reciprocated the gesture by wrapping an arm around Riku’s shoulders and pulling him closer, Riku felt himself relax for the first time all day. 

“Did you wait up for me to come back?” Riku asked at first, wanting to just take a moment to collect himself before he told Iori about Emi. Iori shrugged. “Yes. Or no. Maybe. I don’t know, I just couldn’t sleep. I was worried about you. And your Gran, of course. I kind of hoped you would come to see me when you got back.” Iori said. 

Riku hummed in acknowledgement, and then the two were silent for a minute, just taking in each others’ warmth. In a way, it was the calm before the storm. It was Iori who decided to break it first. “So, what did you want to tell me? Is it about your Gran? How is she? What happened?” He asked. 

Riku sighed. “Well, she slept for our entire visit. They said she had some sort of seizure, but they don’t know the cause. They’re just keeping her under close observation for now.” He started to explain. But now came the hard part. “Iori, it’s all my fault…” Riku said, and then he broke down crying. 

Iori was confused, but he decided to focus on calming Riku down for now. He wrapped both his arms around Riku’s frame and held him close as he cried. Iori rocked them back and forth all the while, whispering reassurances. Once Riku calmed down a bit, Iori decided to ask about it. “What did you mean it’s your fault? I don’t see how any of this could be your fault.” He said. 

Riku sniffled and tried to collect himself. “I… I saw something… Gran is like us… She’s been marked, Iori. She’s cursed.” He said. “What?” Iori asked, shocked. He couldn’t believe what Riku was telling him. “I don’t know how.” Riku admitted. “Maybe she’s had this a long time! I mean, she was here when Senkhara first started appearing, what if Gran’s been cursed since back then?! I mean, just before she left she had a headache, what if that was also because of the curse?” He asked. 

Iori shook his head in disbelief. “Do you think she got worse because we failed the task?” He asked. Riku hesitated, then he nodded. “The timing is right, so I think so… Also, I think Gran may be the timepiece. You know, the one Senkhara keeps telling us to watch? Gran is going to be the first one to die if we fail…” Riku said, and then new tears started falling and he buried his face in Iori’s neck. 

“Oh God…” Iori said as he once again started comforting Riku. They sat like that for a while, Iori trying to comfort the redhead in light of this new information. In the end, Riku almost fell asleep, so Iori helped him up to his own room and promised that they would find a solution to this tomorrow. They could get all of Sibuna together and find a way to set things right. Then Iori placed a light kiss on the top of Riku’s head before watching him go into his room. Iori headed back to his own room, but in his head, he was already trying to come up with ideas on how to advance through the tunnels. 

The next morning, breakfast was tense to say the least. It was obvious from just taking a quick look at both Tenn and Riku that they didn’t have many good news to share. Both twins looked like they had barely slept, and to top it off, Riku’s eyes were red and puffy, as if he had been crying. Judging from their talk last night, Iori suspected he really had been crying. 

Riku was mostly silent throughout the meal, which meant that Tenn was left to explain everything that had happened by himself. Of course, he couldn’t explain all of it, considering he knew nothing about the real cause for Emi’s health, the curse. Everyone else at the table apologized and said that they would be there if either of the twins needed anything, to which both Tenn and Riku were very grateful. 

Soon enough, breakfast was all done, and Iori took it upon himself to deliver the message to all of Sibuna, that he and Riku wanted to have a quick meeting before school. And that was how Iori, Riku, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo now found themselves gathered in their usual place, Nagi and Riku’s bedroom. 

“What did you want to talk about?” Tamaki asked, still oblivious to what was really going on. Riku opened his mouth to start explaining, but the only thing that came out was a small whimper. Iori quickly moved over to him and let Riku lean against his side, offering all the comfort he could give. 

Riku took a deep breath and sank further into Iori, and once he believed he had collected himself enough, he made a second attempt at explaining what he had discovered last night at the hospital. “The doctors may not know what is wrong with my Gran, but I do. I found out just before Tenn-nii and I left…” He started. 

The others all waited, a tense anticipation could be seen on all of their expressions. Riku kept going. “Gran has the mark of Anubis on her arm. Just like us, she is cursed, and that is why she’s sick. She took a turn for the worse yesterday, and it happened around the same time as we failed with the task in the tunnels.” He explained. 

Now, instead of curious and worried, the others looked shocked and worried. “No way… So Senkhara is the one making her sick?” Nagi asked as he walked up to Riku, offering his roommate and friend a hug. Riku nodded and then accepted the embrace from Nagi. As he pulled back, he prepared to tell them the last of it. 

“I heard Senkhara’s voice last night in the hospital as well. She said to ‘watch the timepiece’ again. I think the timepiece is Gran, that we’re supposed to watch her condition, and that if we take too long, she won’t make it. Gran is the first one who will die from the curse if we fail. All of us come after that.” Riku explained. 

“Shit…!” Tamaki exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. “This is really bad, isn’t it?” He asked. At first, no one said anything, but it was clear that they all agreed. Then Iori took a step forward, his expression one of determination. “We can’t give up now though. I’ve been thinking about this all night, and I really think we’ve still got a chance to do this.” He said. 

“How?” Sougo asked. “Well…” started Iori. “For starters, now that we know Riku’s grandmother is the timepiece, we know to watch her condition. And yes, she is sick, but she is not dying just yet. I think this means that there is still a way for us to reach the Mask of Anubis, otherwise, I think she would be way worse than she is now.” He explained. 

Riku nodded thoughtfully. “Yes… Now that you mention it, that does seem to make sense.” He said, and then he too looked up with determination. “This means that it’s more important than ever that we find a way to advance through the tunnels. We need to figure out how to get into the chamber of the mask.” He said. 

Iori nodded. “Exactly. The only problem is that I have no idea where to even start. I tried to think of a way last night, I really did, but I couldn’t come up with anything.” He said. However, it seemed like someone else did have an idea. 

“Maybe you couldn’t come up with anything because you’re trying to find a new way into the next chamber.” Sougo said. “But maybe we’re not supposed to find a new way. What we have to do may not have changed, we just have to clear the task.” He suggested. 

Now, this confused the others. “But we already failed the task.” Tamaki said. Sougo nodded. “We did, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try again. Just think about it. The hands may be gone, but the light returned and we still have all the reflectors. What if we held up the reflectors ourselves? If we held them at the right height and in just the right position, we could still create the constellation!” He said. 

“That…” Iori started, trying to refute the idea. Surely, that couldn’t be it. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. “That might actually work.” He said. “There’s only one problem.” Said Riku then. “We’re only five people, and there are six reflectors. The pedestals were too far away from one another, there is no way any one of us could hold two at the same time.” He pointed out. 

“Then we could just ask someone to help us out.” Tamaki suggested, but Riku immediately opposed this idea. “No! I don’t want to get anyone else involved! Not if there is a risk at them getting cursed, just like us.” He declared. 

However, Iori shook his head. “Actually, I think Yotsuba-san may be onto something. What if we asked them to help us without telling them anything about the tunnels, the mask or the quest? That way, they wouldn’t really be involved, right?” He asked. 

Riku furrowed his brows, and it seemed like he wasn’t the only one who was confused as to what Iori was suggesting. “What do you mean?” Nagi asked, which was exactly what Riku himself had been about to ask his boyfriend. 

Iori smirked. “I think I could get Nii-san to help, he’s been wanting to hang out for a while anyway. If we use the entrance in the library, it will be fairly easy to get him into the chamber, and I can easily convince him to go to the library with me. Just leave the rest to me.” 

Sibuna had decided to go along with Sougo and Iori’s plan, and they had decided to put it into action later that day, once they were all out of school. During lunch, Iori had gone to find Mitsuki and set up a meeting. They had decided to meet up in the Watanabe Library after school. Luckily, the third years ended their day half an hour after the rest, which meant Sibuna would have some time for themselves before Mitsuki arrived. 

And so, once their final lesson was done with, Iori, Riku, Sougo, Nagi and Tamaki quickly made their way over to the library. As they got there, Akihiko was just leaving. Iori had earlier offered to watch over the place while Akihiko left to visit Tsumugi in the house, which was also the excuse he had used with Mitsuki. 

Now that they were all alone in the building, they could easily start preparing for the task ahead of them. Iori turned around to the others. “Okay, Nii-san should be here in about twenty minutes. Do we have all six reflectors here?” He asked. 

Riku nodded and opened his bag, revealing all six of the reflectors inside. “Yep, they’re all here.” He said. “Good.” Iori said. “In order for this to go as quickly and smoothly as possible, you guys should head down the tunnels and into the chamber before us. You can start positioning yourselves and see if you can figure out how to hold the reflectors. If you are already in position, only Nii-san and I will have to do it when he gets here.” He said. 

“I see!” Tamaki exclaimed. “That way, Mikki will be out of the tunnels as soon as possible!” He said. Iori nodded. “Exactly. I’d like it if my brother was involved in this as little as possible. For that to be possible he can’t learn what we’re doing. So, while he is down in the tunnels, I want all of you to be silent. Do not speak a single word.” He said. 

Riku, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo quickly agreed. They knew what they needed to do in order to make this as quick and easy as possible. Go into the tunnels, hold the reflectors in the right way, and remain silent. Iori would take care of the rest. 

As the four others left, Iori waited for his brother to arrive. Meanwhile, he also checked that he had everything prepared, so that they could take care of this as quickly as possible. When he was satisfied, he sat down at one of the tables and grabbed a book. All he could do now was to wait. 

About fifteen minutes later, the door to the library opened and Mitsuki stepped inside. “Iori! Sorry, did you wait long?” He asked as he walked over and put his bag and his coat on the table where Iori sat. Iori smiled and shook his head. “Hello, Nii-san. Don’t worry, I haven’t been waiting all that long.” He said. 

Mitsuki nodded. “Cool. Did you have time to speak to Akihiko-san before he left?” He asked. Iori nodded. “What did he say? When do you think he will be back?” Mitsuki then asked. Iori shrugged. “He didn’t say when he would be back exactly, but I’m guessing he might be back in about an hour or so… Other than that he mostly thanked us for helping him out and keeping watch over the library.” He explained. 

Again, Mitsuki nodded. “Okay, so we’re just supposed to stay here and make sure no one takes or breaks anything until Akihiko-san returns?” He asked. “Yeah.” Iori answered. “That’s pretty much it.” He said. 

Mitsuki hummed then. “Well, it’s pretty boring to just sit here… Do you want to do something? We could play a game or work on some homework, or something…” He suggested. Iori smiled and nodded. “Actually, I already had something in mind.” He admitted, which immediately made Mitsuki perk up. “Oh yeah? What is it?” He asked happily. 

Iori smiled and reached into his backpack, pulling out a scarf. “It’s actually supposed to be a surprise. So, I’m going to have to ask you to wear this.” He said. Mitsuki blinked in surprise for a while, then he burst out laughing. “Sure, I’ll go along with it!” He declared. “But what brought all of this on? You never come up with surprises like this.” Mitsuki asked as he started tying the scarf around his head, covering his eyes. 

Iori rolled his eyes. “I just felt like it. It’s also kind of like a… trust exercise? I don’t know, I thought it could be interesting.” He said. Mitsuki nodded and turned to Iori, or rather, where he thought Iori was. “Well, I can’t see anything, but I trust you little brother! Lead the way!” He said. 

Iori smiled, the first step had worked. Now he just needed to get Mitsuki into the tunnels, have him hold a reflector in exactly the right way for a short period of time, and then get him back out. Easy peasy. It wasn’t like they had much of a choice, they really needed to clear the task, or people, starting with Nanase Emi, would die. 

Iori grabbed Mitsuki’s hand just to be sure his brother stayed close, then he led him over to the wall where the hatch leading into the tunnels was. “Okay, first I’m going to need you to crawl forward. The ceiling is low for a short while, which is why you can’t walk upright.” Iori explained. 

Even with his eyes covered, the confusion on Mitsuki’s face was clear for all to see. “ What on earth have you come up with?” Mitsuki asked, partly amused, partly confused. “Just trust me, alright?” Iori asked. Mitsuki sighed. “Okay, crawling it is.” He said. 

Iori opened the hatch and crawled in ahead of his brother. Then he watched until Mitsuki was fully inside, closed the hatch and helped Mitsuki stand upright again. “The ceiling is back to normal now, so you can stand up. Just hold on to me and follow from here on out, understand?” Iori asked. Mitsuki nodded. “Lead on then.” He said. 

And lead on is exactly what Iori did. Holding onto Mitsuki still, Iori carefully walked through the tunnel. He made sure to make some noise as he got closer to the chamber in order to announce that they were coming to the rest of Sibuna, so that they would be silent. After all, if Mitsuki heard the others, he might start to grow suspicious. 

When Iori first saw the chamber up ahead, he quickly sought out Riku’s gaze. The two smiled at one another for a moment before Iori turned back to Mitsuki. “Okay, we’re going to need to stop for a while just up ahead.” Iori explained. “Oh? Are we there?” Mitsuki asked happily, reaching up to fiddle with the blindfold. 

As Iori noticed what his brother was doing, he grew tense. “No!” He yelled, startling all of them. “I mean, uh… We’re not there quite yet, so you can’t remove the blindfold. I just need to stop for a minute to take care of something. You just… Stand right… over… here.” Iori said, moving Mitsuki to stand where the final pedestal would have been. 

Mitsuki sighed, but nodded. “Okay, I’ll just stay here then.” He said. “Good!” Iori said, then he went over to Riku and picked up the final two reflectors, the mirror from the music box and the green shard from the mosaic. Iori took them and watched as the others all held up their own reflectors. The image was a bit wobbly, but they had managed to form a constellation of sorts. Now there were only Iori and Mitsuki left. 

Iori walked up to Mitsuki and handed him the mirror. “I’m gonna need you to hold onto this for a little while. Just do as I say, okay? And don’t peek!” He explained. Mitsuki nodded, an amused smile on his face. “Fine.” He said. Iori sighed in relief and took his own place. Quickly, Iori managed to find the right position for his own reflector, leaving only Mitsuki’s left. 

“Okay, Nii-san, I need you to hold up the thing in your hands a little bit higher.” Iori said. Mitsuki complied and raised the mirror. “Stop!” Iori called out when it was around the same height as the others. “Okay, I need you to spin a little bit to the right… and stop! And finally, I need you to angle the object in your hand more upwards.” Iori instructed. 

This went on for about a minute or two, Iori instructed Mitsuki on how to hold the mirror, making little adjustments as it was necessary. Finally, in a single moment, Mitsuki got just the right angle and the light from Iori’s reflector hit Mitsuki’s straight on. The light then went from the mirror and connected with Riku’s reflector, the first one, creating a full image. It looked like a falcon, the same falcon as pictured on all the reflectors. 

The moment the falcon was made, the sounds of gears turning and a new door opening could be heard throughout the room. Smiles adorned all of Sibuna’s faces, their plan had worked! Although, Mitsuki had become awfully startled by the commotion. “What?! What was that?!” Mitsuki exclaimed. 

Remembering Mitsuki was still there, Iori immediately turned his attention to him. “Oh, it was nothing, don’t worry about it! It’s something happening outside…” Iori said, trying to come up with an excuse. Mitsuki frowned. “Are you sure? It sounded like it came from in here… Like, right beside me.” He said. 

Iori nodded, but then he remembered that Mitsuki wouldn’t be able to see him. “Uh, yeah. I promise, it’s just something happening outside, nothing to worry about. You trust me, right?” He said. Mitsuki sighed, but then nodded. “I guess… It just sounded really close. But if you say it was nothing, then I believe you.” He said. 

Relieved, Iori sighed. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, turned around and saw Riku standing there. The redhead leaned in closer so that he could whisper in Iori’s ear. “You need to get Mitsuki-san out of here. I want all of us to be here when we check out the new room, so let’s come back tonight, yeah?” He said. 

Iori nodded and handed over his reflector to Riku, he then took the mirror from Mitsuki and gave that one to Riku as well. “Okay, well Nii-san, we’re going to start moving again, alright?” Iori said, taking Mitsuki’s hand in his own and started to lead him back the same way they came. Meanwhile, Riku, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo took the other way back, through the secret study and the cellar. 

When Iori and Mitsuki returned to the Watanabe Library, Iori was quick to close the hatch and brush off any residue dust or dirt that had gotten on their clothes on the way. “There we go! You can take off the blindfold now.” He said. 

Mitsuki looked relieved and didn’t waste a single second to get the fabric off of his face. When he saw that he and Iori were still in the library, he frowned. “We’re in the library? Then what was the point of all that we just did?” He asked in confusion. 

Iori smiled sheepishly. “It, uhm… It was a trust exercise…! And you passed!” He said, hoping that his brother wouldn’t press any further. Mitsuki looked a bit weirded out, but he shrugged and seemed to let it go. Iori was finally able to relax when Akihiko showed up again and he could return to the house. Their crazy plan had thankfully worked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They did it! And soon it's finally time to see what's in the chamber of the mask... Tune in on Wednesday to see what that's like, because that's when I'll have the next chapter out! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And also thank you if you decide to leave kudos or comments <3


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna returns to the tunnels to check out the new path. Meanwhile, Vera recieves a call from The Collector...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with a new chapter, and I hope you guys like it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

It was after curfew, and like so many other nights, Sibuna was up sneaking around. They had waited all day for a chance to sneak back into the tunnels, and it was finally time. They had been able to clear the latest task, even if they had originally failed, and while that was a huge relief, they were still anxious for what was next.

In the riddle about finding the reflectors, it said that once they completed that task, they would reach the chamber of the mask. It was possible that they had cleared their final task. And so, it was with anticipation that all five of them now made their way through the tunnels for what might be the last time. 

As they reached the chamber where they had finished the reflectors task, they stopped for a moment and just stared down the new pathway that had opened up. Taking a deep breath, Riku turned to his friends, a nervous but also excited smile on his face. “Are you ready? This might be it.” He said. 

Iori smiled and grabbed Riku’s hand. “Let’s go.” He said. The others nodded in agreement, and so Riku started leading the way. At first it was just like the rest of the tunnels, a dark and dusty path ahead. But as they soon rounded a corner, they stumbled upon something different. Before them, the tunnels continued on, and they could see stairs leading down at the end of the hall. However, along the hallway stood four big statues made of stone. All of the statues had jackal heads. 

“It’s Anubis…” Iori said, catching all of their attention. “What?” Asked Tamaki. Iori pointed at the statues. “The statues, they are statues of Anubis, the Egyptian God of Death. He was always depicted with a jackal head, just like our curse marks and the Mask of Anubis. It’s kind of like his symbol.” He explained. 

“Do you suppose that the chamber of the mask is down those stairs?” Sougo asked then. Iori nodded. “That would make sense, right? I mean, these statues of Anubis would mark the entrance to his chamber, to his treasure.” He said. 

“Well, what are we waiting for? Shouldn’t we check it out?” Tamaki asked, but as he started walking, Riku held out a hand to stop him. “Wait a little, we don’t know if it’s safe. These tunnels have been filled with puzzles and booby traps, so we need to be careful.” He said. 

Just as Riku said that, Nagi bent down and picked up a rock that lay on the ground. Then, he threw that same rock into the hallway, right in between the two Anubis statues in the back. When the rock landed, they once again heard the sound of gears turning, and then the statues all spun around until they faced the rock. 

However, when nothing happened, they all turned away. “Do you think it’s safe to cross?” Asked Riku. Nagi shrugged. “Well, nothing happened to the rock, and we’re not going to find out if we just stand here.” He said. “I’ll even go first.” Nagi offered, and so he started moving down the hall. 

As Nagi walked, they soon noticed that the statues all started turning again, almost as if they were watching him. However, they never did anything else. Once Nagi was across, the others decided to go as well. The statues spun around again, now watching Sougo, Tamaki, Iori and Riku as they crossed the hall. 

“Well, that’s just creepy…” Tamaki commented. The others nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but at least they’re not doing anything.” Sougo said. Riku nodded. “Yeah, but let’s keep an eye out. I have a feeling it might not be so easy as to just walk in and take the mask…” He said, and it was clear from their expressions that the others had similar thoughts. 

Sibuna left the hall with the creepy statues behind and started descending the stairs. When they finally reached the bottom, they all had to take a moment to just take it all in. “Woah…” Riku exclaimed. Before them was a big, rectangular room that was lit up in a way the rest of the tunnels hadn’t been. Even if it was the same dirty walls, floor and ceiling, the glow from the lights made the entire room appear almost golden. 

However, it wasn’t the room itself that was the most breathtaking part. The room was mostly empty, except for whatever was happening across from where the five boys stood at the bottom of the staircase. In the center of the room there was a chair, or rather a throne. It stood a little bit off the ground on tall legs and had three steps leading up to the seat itself. And in front of the throne were five more Anubis statues. 

Slowly but surely, Riku and the others started making their way to the other end of the room. They inspected the throne but didn’t find anything off about it. It was big, but it was entirely made out of wood, and on closer inspection, it actually looked really simple and uncomfortable. 

The chair looked on over the end of the room that was opposite of the stairs, where the five Anubis statues stood, two along each side of the wall, and one final statue in the back near the center. Upon closer inspection, they soon noticed that the floor that the statues were standing on looked different. It was made up of black and white squares, with some of the squares having Anubis symbols on them. It looked almost like a chess board. 

And then they saw it. Riku looked up and gasped, then pointed ahead on the wall that was on the opposite side of the board in front of them. “Guys, look… It’s the Mask of Anubis…” He said in awe. And sure enough, across the board there was a glass case built into the wall. And inside was the Mask of Anubis. 

“It’s beautiful…” Riku said, earning nods from all his friends.”So… Do we just go and get it?” Tamaki asked. Iori shook his head. “I don’t know… I feel like all of this,” Iori started, gesturing to the chair and the board and the statues. “should be something. I just don’t know what.” He admitted. 

Tamaki frowned. “Well, we can either stand here and stare at it all day, or we can try to cross the board and break this curse already!” He said, and then he started moving ahead. However, as Tamaki took his first step onto the board the statues all turned, just like the ones upstairs. Before, they had stood facing different ways, but now they all looked ahead. 

Tamaki gulped and took a step back, afraid that these statues might do more than just spin around and follow you creepily with their gaze. Then there was the sound of static that soon dissolved into a voice. And everyone looked at each other with knowing looks. They were about to be given a new clue. 

_“The Golden prize will tempt the fool, the wise should heed this golden rule. This game of Senet you cannot win, only the reckless will even begin. One wrong move will seal your fate, an end too dark to contemplate.”_ The voice that they now clearly recognized as Watanabe Ritsu’s said. 

They all turned to watch each other as the message ended, expressions filled with nervous anticipation. “Guys, you know what this means, right? If we win this game, Senet or whatever it was called, then we get the mask and can finally break the curse.” Riku said. 

Iori nodded, grabbed Riku’s hand again and smiled. “We’re so close now. Soon, we’ll have the Mask of Anubis and all of this will all be over.” He said, and then he turned to watch the board. “We just have a game to win.” 

Sibuna finding the chamber of the mask, the chamber of Anubis, was not the only thing that happened that night. And just as the five boys were heading back to the house through the tunnels, someone else was leaving the house. 

Vera walked through the dimly lit roads to get to the Watanabe Library. She was still feeling a little off after that incident with the spirit, and her memory about what happened was still coming back in bits and pieces. Amongst everything going on, she had forgotten to contact her employer and give him updates. This became apparent when The Collector took it upon himself to contact Vera. 

Earlier that afternoon, The Collector had texted her, asking what was happening at Anubis House and why she had not been sending him any updates. When Vera called him up in a panic however, The Collector did not seem angry, in fact, he seemed excited. He said that while Vera had been MIA, he had made a major find. He had then mentioned something about a ritual and riches beyond their wildest imaginations. Then he invited Vera to join him in the Watanabe Library around midnight. 

That was how Vera now found herself walking through the dark, cold night. She had failed to understand just what The Collector had been talking about on the phone, but he had mentioned riches beyond their wildest imagination. And that alone had been enough to make Vera walk alone to the library in the middle of the night. 

As she got closer, she saw that some of the lights in the library were still on. Vera stopped in her tracks, her first thought being that Akihiko was still there for some reason. But when she saw that the curator’s car was gone, she realized that the lights must be The Collector. He must have arrived before her. 

Looking around one last time to ensure herself that she wasn’t being watched, Vera walked up to the library and entered. Sure enough, once she was inside, she came face to face with The Collector. He was wearing his usual getup, a suit with a black cape on top. The only thing missing was the mask that normally covered his face. 

Now, it wasn’t the first time Vera saw him without the mask on, but it happened very rarely, and everytime came as a surprise to her. This time was no different, and she almost became startled at the sight. The Collector did not seem to notice it though, he just seemed excited. “Ah, Vera! You’ve finally arrived. Come! I must show you!” He said and gestured for Vera to follow, which she did. 

The two made their way further into the library, to a table where a small package lay. The Collector immediately started unwrapping it, and when Vera saw what it was, she was speechless. “No way… The Mask of Anubis? But how?” She asked, stunned. That mask was supposed to be at the end of the tunnels, and as far as she knew, the kids still hadn’t reached it. How come The Collector now had it? 

The Collector smirked. “Well, it seems we chose wisely when we decided to use Akihiko-san’s help. He found it and handed it over a few days ago. I’ve been busy preparing for this moment, and I decided that I would offer to share it with you.” He said. 

Vera frowned, her first thought being that it was very strange that Akihiko had gotten the mask. However, when her employer announced he wished to share whatever this moment was with Vera, she quickly forgot all about the curator, and instead started wondering about what was about to happen now. “Yeah? And what exactly is it you wish to share with me? What does the mask do exactly?” She asked. 

The Collector smiled, clearly pleased by her question. “Well, it would give us access to limitless power and riches! You see, when it is worn it will open a doorway into the Egyptian afterlife…! I wish to go there with you, to live on forever as Gods!” He explained. 

Surprised, Vera took a step back. _‘The afterlife? Live as Gods? What is he talking about?’_ She thought. What The Collector was telling her seemed completely crazy, but she knew better than to question it. However, that didn’t mean Vera was very keen on the idea of entering some Egyptian afterlife. 

“I still don’t quite understand, it sounds completely unbelievable…” Vera admitted. “However, I must decline your kind offer. I seek riches and success in this life, not the other. Say, why don’t we just sell the mask? Surely that would be more beneficial to use in this lifetime?” She asked. 

The Collector, however, frowned. His excitement melted away, he actually seemed disappointed. “I understand that it can be a difficult concept to grasp, and because you have served me so well, I will not be angry with you. I have realized that no matter what, I will not be able to live forever in this world, and so I must ascend to the next! The mask should stay here when I’m gone, so you may sell it then. But are you sure you do not wish to join me?” He asked. 

Vera gulped but nodded. The Collector had always seemed mysterious and a bit eccentric, but this made him seem straight up mad. It deeply unsettled Vera. “Yeah, I’d not go into some afterlife…” She said. 

The Collector sighed and then motioned for her to get back. Vera did as she was told and then watched as her employer held up the mask as if making an offering to the Gods. For all she knows, he might really be doing just that. Then he started chanting, and Vera took another step back. However, she couldn’t fail to notice that nothing seemed to be happening. 

When The Collector stopped chanting and started bringing the mask down to place it on his face, Vera waited in anticipation for this doorway to the afterlife to appear. However, even after The Collector put on the mask and waited, nothing happened. 

Angered and confused, The Collector tore off the mask and stared at it, as if it would tell him what he had done wrong. It was then that Vera noticed something, some gold paint had smeared off on The Collector’s face. She walked up to him and wiped it off. They both realized what it meant and walked up to the display case that was meant to keep the replica made by Watanabe Akiko. Sure enough, it was empty. 

In a rage, The Collector let out a howl and threw the mask, that he now knew was a fake, onto the ground. “He tricked me! Akihiko fooled me!” He exclaimed. Vera nodded. “Yes, it was quite clever of him…” She admitted as she picked up the fake mask and placed it on the table. 

In his anger, The Collector turned to Vera. “The real mask is still in the tunnels then?” He asked. Vera gulped and nodded. “That has to be the case, yes.” She answered. The Collector scoffed and turned around. “You will get me that mask! You have one week, you hear me? One week to get it to me!” He yelled, and then he left, leaving Vera standing there in shock. He had never given her this big of a deadline before, and she feared what might happen if she failed. She needed to talk to Tsukumo again, they needed to get back into the tunnels. 

When Vera woke up the next day, she immediately made her way over to Tsukumo’s office. Normally, she would start getting things ready for breakfast, but now she had more important things to do. The Collector had given her a deadline, one week from now, then she had to get her hands on the Mask of Anubis. 

Thinking back on what happened last night made her shiver. It had happened sometimes that her employer would do things that seemed a bit unsettling, but they had never been directed at her before. Last night was the first time she had been truly frightened by his behaviour. However, if anything good had come from it, it was that all her memories from the incident with the spirit had returned, including those from when she was frozen. 

It had been the strangest sensation, kind of like being half asleep. She was conscious, but also not. She couldn’t see anything, but every once in a while she would smell the dampness of the attic, feel a gust of wind against her skin, or hear the walls creak with age. And then there was the bits and pieces of conversation she remembered, one in particular that seemed incredibly important. 

Having remembered this gave Vera another reason to seek out Tsukumo so early in the morning. She knew that she had a bigger chance of succeeding if she got help, and she knew she could count on Tsukumo for that, she had him wrapped around her finger still. So, when she walked past his office and saw that he was awake, she felt relieved. 

Vera knocked on the door and then entered, not even bothering to wait for a response. Tsukumo looked up, startled by the sudden entrance at first, but once he saw it was only Vera, he relaxed. “Ah, good morning Vera. Did you need anything?” He asked. 

Vera nodded and then sat down on one of the chairs in the room. “Yes, I feel like it’s been a while since we checked up on how the kids are doing with the tasks… Don’t you think it’s about time we got back in the game?” She asked, anticipation clear on the smirk on her face. 

However, Tsukumo didn’t seem as excited as Vera had hoped, instead he just sighed and sat down. “Actually, I’ve been thinking… Maybe it would be best if we gave up on this quest.” He said. 

Vera could not believe what she was hearing. Tsukumo had always been driven to find the secrets of this house, sometimes so driven that Vera had been close to being unable to reign him in. And now he wanted to quit? “I’m sorry, what? No, we can’t stop now! We’re so close to finding the mask!” She exclaimed. 

Again, Tsukumo sighed. “I know! It’s just… after that spirit attacked us, I’ve been scared that she will come back. I want to find the mask of Anubis just as much as you do, but I’m not sure if it is worth the risk.” He admitted. 

Vera raised an eyebrow in question, out of all the answers she had come up with from Tsukumo, this was not it. “You’re scared of a ghost?” She asked in disbelief, then she scoffed. “Well, I’m not about to let myself be beat because of some lady who has come back from her grave. I’m getting that mask.” Vera declared. 

Tsukumo then leaned across the table and grabbed both of Vera’s hands in his own. “Vera, dear, I understand what you’re trying to say, but it is you I am scared for! You are the one she marked, not me. If something goes wrong, I fear I may not be able to protect you!” He said. 

Vera rolled her eyes, and while she found the sentiment mostly annoying since it got in the way of what she wanted, it would be a lie if she said it didn’t feel somewhat good that he cared. “While I do appreciate that, it is of no matter to me. Even if the spirit does come for me, which, by the way, I don’t believe she will, then I am fully capable of taking care of myself.” She said. 

Tsukumo sighed. “Well, you are certainly right about that…” He admitted. “But you forget, we have no amulet. Which means we have no way of getting into the tunnels.” Tsukumo then reminded Vera about, and it was then that Vera finally got to share what she had recalled last night. 

“Actually…” Vera started. “We might not need the amulets.” She declared, which only seemed to confuse Tsukumo further. And so, Vera decided to explain it all in more detail. 

“Last night, I recalled some of what happened to me following our encounter with the spirit. I was semi-conscious at the time and remember bits and pieces. At one point, someone entered my room, I’m not entirely sure who, but it was one of the children. They mentioned something about a secret entrance into the tunnels from the Watanabe Library.” 

Tsukumo’s eyes widened at the news. “And if we enter from there, then we don’t have to face the beam that blinds people at the start…! We won’t need any amulets!” He exclaimed. Vera smirked and nodded. “Exactly. So will you please help me look for this secret entrance? So that we can at the very least check on how far those kids have gotten since we lost our amulet?” She asked. 

Tsukumo sighed again, and Vera could tell that he was still a bit reluctant to do this. Surely, the memory of the ghost lady was still playing on his mind. However, she had managed to rekindle that adventurous flame when she mentioned the secret entrance. Vera could tell he actually wanted to look for it. 

In the end, Tsukumo had no choice but to comply. “Fine, I’ll help you look. But if the spirit returns, then we stop at once! That mask is not worth our lives.” He said. Vera smiled and nodded, it wasn’t entirely what she had hoped for, but it would have to do. “Great, then we’ll head over to the library later today.” She declared, and Tsukumo nodded in agreement. 

It was during breakfast, as all students living at Anubis House were gathered, that Tsumugi came into the room with an excited smile on her face. The young woman was still staying with them at Anubis House for another day or two, and it had been really nice for all of them. They had all missed her quite a lot while she worked for Akihiko. 

“You seem to be in a good mood.” Nagi pointed out as Tsumugi joined them at the table. Tsumugi smiled and nodded. “Well, I’m starting to feel a lot better! Also, I think my memory is slowly starting to return!” She explained happily. 

“That’s great to hear!” Mitsuki exclaimed. However, most of the people around the table, save for Mitsuki, Yamato and Tsumugi herself, looked warily at one another. Of course they didn’t want Tsumugi to have to go around with gaps in her memory, but if she remembered it all, she would know she had been kidnapped. Surely, those days she had been locked up in the barn had been anything but pleasant. 

But since Tsumugi seemed so happy about remembering, they assumed that she still hadn’t recalled anything about her kidnapping. To confirm this, Riku turned to her with a kind smile. “What did you remember?” He then asked. 

Tsumugi beamed and picked up a small notebook that she lay on the table. “Well, the doctor recommended I use a dream diary, since memories can come back as fragments in dreams. And last night I had this really strange dream, but I couldn’t help but feeling that it was important.” She explained. 

“Oh yeah?” Riku said. “Do you want to tell us about it?” He asked. Tsumugi seemed happy to share her dream, as she nodded and opened her notebook. “I was all alone in this cold, barren room, and then I saw a figure. I think it was another person, but they wore a black hood so I can’t be entirely sure.” She started, making Riku eye his friends. The figure in the black hood had to be Kujou. 

Tsumugi continued. “Then I heard bells chiming behind me, and when I turned around, I was in front of Anubis House! Only, I was looking down on it from above. At least, that was what it looked like at first, because as I got closer I realized the house was tiny! And on top of that, all the lights turned on by themselves!” She said. 

As Tsumugi mentioned the tiny house, Riku looked at Iori knowingly. They knew that the tiny house must be Sara’s dollhouse, and when it lit up, it usually meant that it would give them a new clue. They could barely believe it, but could it be possible that the dollhouse had given them a clue while it was locked in with Tsumugi? And had she seen it? 

“I opened the house to look inside.” Tsumugi continued, and immediately Iori and Riku were paying close attention to what she was saying again. “And there, on the far off wall, I could barely make out something. It looked like some sort of writing on the wall. I tried to get closer, and then I could sort of make out what it was…” She said. 

“And?” Riku asked. “What did you see?” Tsumugi smirked, glad that they all looked so intrigued. “On the wall, there was a picture of a key, and beneath it there was another picture, but this one was of a pair of wings! And finally, at the very bottom, there was some small text. ‘Seat of learning’ it said.” She explained. 

“And then what?” Riku asked again, eager to learn more. However, Tsumugi only shrugged. “And then nothing. I woke up after that. I’m not sure what it means yet, but I can feel that it was important.” She declared. 

Riku sighed and turned to Iori. Tsumugi started talking to the others about something else, but none of them were paying any real attention. They didn’t have to say anything, one look at each other told them both that whatever Tsumugi had seen, it could be much more important than she would ever know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! We're starting to get close to the end now, they've reached the final chamber with the mask now, and we only have 10 chapters left to go! Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will be uploaded on Saturday! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibuna try to research the game of Senet, meanwhile, Tsukumo and Vera try to find the secret entrance to the tunnels from the library...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter! I really feel like we're entering the final stretch here, only 9 chapters left after this! At least I am excited, and I hope you guys are as well! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

During their lunch break, Sibuna had gathered in the computer lab to see if they could find any information about the game Senet, the game they needed to win in order to get the mask. However, it turned out that even the internet knew very little about this particular game. By the time their lunch break was nearing its end, all they had managed to find out was that it was a board game invented and played by the ancient egyptians, but the rules and details about it had been lost to history.

Iori sighed. “Why did Watanabe Ritsu have to be adamant about using things that were lost to history in his tasks? I mean, before it was the Song of Hathor, and now this ancient game.” He complained. Riku placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave him a knowing look, telling Iori he agreed. 

“Well, with the Song of Hathor, we knew it couldn’t have been completely lost to history because Ritsu used it to set the task.” Nagi pointed out. “Does that mean the game is the same?” Tamaki asked and Nagi nodded. “I assume so. Ritsu must have known the rules to the game, otherwise, how would he have set the final task?” 

Iori nodded thoughtfully then. “Yeah… What if the rules to the game are hidden somewhere around the house?” He asked, trying to keep all of their spirits up. However, it seemed that it didn’t work as he soon heard Riku sigh behind him. “I wish we still had the dollhouse, maybe it could have given us a clue on where to look…” He said. 

That was when Sougo recalled what they had been told that morning. “What if it already did?” He asked, making everyone turn to him in confusion. “Tsumugi’s dream, it was of the dollhouse. What if what she saw was the clue meant for this task?” Sougo explained. 

“Yes…” Iori agreed, nodding all the while. “That might be it…! What did she say? ‘Seat of learning’, right?” He asked. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, and then there was a picture of a key and of a pair of wings.” He added. 

“I don’t know about the key or the wings, but couldn’t ‘seat of learning’ be referring to the library? We could go check it out after school.” Iori suggested. The others all agreed quickly, glad to have something to do, somewhere to look. And so it was decided, they would go to the library after school to see if they could find anything about Senet. 

However, it seemed like one of them had different plans. “You guys will have to go without me.” Riku said, making everyone turn to him. Iori frowned. “Why? Did you have another idea?” He asked. 

Riku smiled and shook his head. “No, I think you’re right. I really think you need to check the library! But Tenn-nii and I decided to visit Gran again after school today. Tsumugi is going to the hospital for a meeting with some therapist about her memories, so she offered to take us with her. I also want to see if there is any change in Gran now that we cleared the task. Maybe it made her better…” He said, though he didn’t sound all that hopeful. 

Iori smiled, nodded, and took a hold of Riku’s hand. “I see. Tell your Gran hi from me, yeah? And while you’re gone, we will search the library. Hopefully, we’ll have something to share with you when you return.” He said, giving Riku’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Riku smiled down at Iori, happy that he had him to support him through all of this. 

Now that all the kids were off to school, Tsukumo and Vera took their opportunity to search the Watanabe Library. They thought they had managed to get there during Akihiko’s lunch, but to their dismay, the curator was still around when they reached the library, and he wasn’t the only one. Tsumugi had apparently decided to visit, so that she could have a talk with Akihiko about the memories she lost. 

“Oh, Vera! Tsukumo! What brings you here?” Tsumugi asked cheerfully, proof that she still did not remember what Vera had done to her. Vera forced a smile on her face. “Oh, just visiting. How are you feeling, Tsumugi? Any progress with your memories?” Vera asked. 

Tsumugi shook her head sadly. “Not much I’m afraid… But I’m going to meet with a therapist in a few hours, she might know something I can do to recover them.” She declared. Vera narrowed her eyes in suspicion then. “I see… Well, good luck with that.” She said. 

After that, Tsumugi turned back to Akihiko. “So, about what we were talking about before, do you want to?” She asked. Tsukumo raised an eyebrow at that and before Akihiko could answer, he interfered. “What were you talking about?” He asked. 

Tsumugi turned to him and pouted. “I suggested that we get together for lunch. It’s been a while after all.” She said. “And I would love nothing more.” Akihiko said. “But I’m afraid I can’t leave the library right now.” He said apologetically. 

“Well, that’s no fun!” Vera exclaimed, an idea forming in her head. “Why don’t Tsukumo and I watch over the library for the next hour so that the two of you can go have lunch together?” She offered, forcing the kindest smile she could muster on her face. 

Tsumugi beamed with happiness, but Akihiko looked a bit more wary. One pointed look from Vera changed that, and he gave in. “I suppose that would work. Come, Tsumugi.” He said and gestured for the young woman to follow him out. Tsumugi happily did, waving goodbye to Tsukumo and Vera as she left. 

Now that they were alone, Tsukumo and Vera could finally get started. “So, you said there was a secret entrance to the tunnels somewhere in this library?” Tsukumo asked. Vera nodded. “Yes, that is what those brats said, though they weren’t very specific, so I don’t know any further details… However, I find it hard to believe an entrance to some underground tunnels would be on the second floor, so let’s focus on searching the ground floor for now.” She said. 

Tsukumo nodded in agreement, what Vera said made an awful lot of sense. And so, the two started searching. They tried ripping out books, pushing bookshelves to the sides, knocking on the walls, looking for any hidden switches or buttons. However, half an hour passed and they still found nothing. 

Tsukumo sighed. “We’ll have to hurry before Tsumugi or Akihiko returns…” He said. Vera nodded bitterly, she really thought they would have found something by now. She took a moment then to just stand there and think. And as she did this, she could just barely feel a light breeze hitting her legs. She turned around and saw the air vent near the bottom of the nearest wall. “Could it be…” She said as she bent down to try and get it open. 

Soon, Vera managed to open the vent, and what she saw inside was not the metallic and tight walls of your usual air vents, it was a dark, dirty and much wider crawl space. She smiled triumphantly and turned around. “Tsukumo, come over here! I found it!” She said. 

Tsukumo quickly joined Vera and marveled at what she had found. “This is it…” He said. The two shared a look, and then they quickly entered, one after the other. As they walked through the dark tunnel, they soon reached a room that Tsukumo recognized. “This is the room with the reflectors task. The children have already cleared it, the path continues.” He said. 

Vera gaped in awe, this was the first time she saw the tunnels beyond Watanabe Ritsu’s secret study. It was mind blowing. Together, Vera and Tsukumo kept walking through the tunnels, soon reaching the corridor with the Anubis statues and the stairs leading them further down. When they reached the last chamber, Vera gasped and started running. She stopped in front of the checkered floorboards. 

“That’s it… It’s the Mask of Anubis! It’s beautiful…” Said Vera. Tsukumo walked up to her and nodded. “Yes, it is magnificent.” He agreed. Then Vera took another step forward, onto the board in front of them. When a message started to play, Tsukumo quickly pulled her back. 

_“The Golden prize will tempt the fool, the wise should heed this golden rule. This game of Senet you cannot win, only the reckless will even begin. One wrong move will seal your fate, an end too dark to contemplate.”_

“Ritsu… So this is your final task. A game…” Tsukumo said. Vera turned to him then, looking confused. “What does it mean? What do we have to do to get the mask?” She asked. Tsukumo shook his head. “We have to win the game to get across… Let’s leave for now, we can’t play it yet.” He said. 

Vera seemed confused, but ultimately she agreed and followed Tsukumo out. “The game, Senet, right? What is it?” She asked on the way. “It’s a highly strategic board game invented by the ancient egyptians. It is a bit similar to chess or checkers. I played it a few times with my father before he passed, but I never managed to beat him.” Tsukumo explained. 

“I have a board somewhere in my office, much smaller than the one in the tunnels. If we are to beat the game down here, I shall first need to review the rules, and to get in a few practice rounds.” Tsukumo then added. Vera nodded, seeing as Tsukumo’s knowledge of the game was her best bet at getting that mask, she would humor him for a while. She just prayed that he would be ready to play within a week. 

After school, Iori and Tamaki first had to see Riku off. They followed him and Tenn out to the parking lot, where Tsumugi was waiting for them. Then they said their goodbyes before the twins got in the car and the remaining two boys watched as they drove away. Once Riku had gone, Tamaki and Iori left to find Nagi and Sougo so that the four of them could head over to the Watanabe Library together. 

Finding the second years turned out to be easier than they had expected, as Iori and Tamaki literally ran into them as soon as they entered the school again. “Oh, there you are!” Tamaki exclaimed as they very nearly collided with one another. “We were just coming to find you.” He added. 

“And we were trying to find you.” Said Sougo. “Are we ready to head to the library?” He then asked. Iori nodded. “Yeah, Riku just left, so we should head over there now. Hopefully we can find something by the time he returns.” He said. And so, the four boys all made their way over to the library. 

Akihiko was still around when they got there but they decided to look around as best they could either way. Akihiko knew and trusted them, so he wouldn’t mind. However, before they could get started, Akihiko said he had something to show them. He led them over to his desk and then took out the Mask of Anubis. Or rather, the replica of the mask. 

“I thought you gave that to Kujou-san?” Iori asked. Akihiko nodded. “I did, and he seemed to believe it. He got all awed when he saw it. However, the other day I found it just laying on one of the tables. He must have figured out it was just the replica.” He said. 

Iori furrowed his brows in worry. “Are you going to be okay? Is he very angry with you?” He asked. Akihiko sighed and shook his head. “I actually have no idea. I haven’t heard from him since I gave him the mask, and I sure as hell won’t be the first one to seek out contact. I’m just kind of waiting and hoping for the best.” He said. 

Iori nodded, but there wasn’t much more he and his friends could do. They needed to focus on finding whatever was hidden in the library. “So, what are we even looking for?” Tamaki asked once they had distanced themselves from the curator, but before they split up to start searching. 

Iori shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure… What we need to find is anything related to the game Senet, maybe there is a book or something that has the rules? Or maybe it’s something different, something more hidden. If we assume that Tsumugi really saw a clue for this task in her dream, then maybe some sort of key or something that’s related to wings?” He said. 

Tamaki sighed. “So basically, look for anything that might be related to the game or the mask or the tunnels. Got it. This won’t be difficult at all, we only have this entire building to look through.” He said, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

Sougo patted Tamaki’s arm and smiled sympathetically. “I know it’s a lot, but if we split up we can cover more ground. The sooner we get started, the sooner we’ll finish.” He said. Tamaki nodded, but he was already feeling really unmotivated to do this. But since he knew how important it was, he powered through it. 

Iori and Sougo had decided to start going through the books, since there were a lot of them, they decided to work together. Meanwhile, Nagi looked for something other than books on the first floor and Tamaki did the same but on the second floor. 

Time passed, and soon they had been searching for an hour. Tamaki sighed and sat down against the wall in one of the corners of the second floor. He was pretty sure he had searched through everything, save for the books, and yet he had been completely unsuccessful. Based on the lack of news from the others, he guessed they had been about as successful as him. 

Tamaki was really bored and he really didn’t want to just be searching the place blindly. Instead, he stood up, started pacing the second floor and thought more about what it was Tsumugi had seen in her dream. “Seat of learning, that’s here… But what about the key? And the wings? Birds have wings, are we looking for a bird?” He mumbled to himself. 

Tamaki was now standing near the railing, looking out over the first floor below him. “Birds can fly because they have wings… When they fly, they are looking down at the ground…” He kept mumbling and then he looked down. From where Tamaki was standing, he could see almost the entire first floor, and it actually looked bigger from there. 

Tamaki noted that the floor was tiled like a chessboard, with dark and light tiles. The game in the tunnels had a similar look to it, so Tamaki first thought that maybe it was like when he, Riku and Iori practiced for the hopscotch test, that they could use the floor here to practice the game. However, he quickly dismissed the thought, the shape of the room was completely different, and even if it had been the same, they still didn’t know the rules. 

But then Tamaki spotted something. In the very center of the floor beneath him there was one tile that looked different from all the others. Instead of being just one color, either light or dark, this one had a lot of tiny squares on it, just like a chess board. At first, Tamaki thought about how it was a weird design for the floor, but then he considered if it may be deliberate. 

Deciding to take a closer look, Tamaki hurried down the stairs and knelt next to the different tile. Upon closer inspection, it had the same shape as the board game down in the tunnels. Also, five squares were marked with a red dot, and while Tamaki couldn’t remember it exactly, he thought that was around the same places where the five statues stood. 

Feeling hopeful, Tamaki tried to pry it up, which actually went easy for once. The tile was loose and came up as soon as Tamaki had managed to dig his nails in under it. Tamaki held it up then so that he could take a closer look. He was a bit nervous that he had been wrong and just ruined the floor, but as he turned the tile around to look at the back, a broad smile spread across his lips. Right there, on the back of the tile Tamaki read ‘The Game of Senet: Rules’. Furthermore, at the bottom, it was signed by Watanabe Ritsu, this must have been his board. 

Tamaki took it, hoping Akihiko wouldn’t miss a tile in the floor too much, and then he headed over to find the others. Once he had gathered them, he quickly showed them the board. “Guys, I found it! Look, it’s Watanabe Ritsu’s Senet board!” He exclaimed. 

Iori immediately took it and gave it a once over. He then looked up at Tamaki and smiled. “Yotsuba-san, this is brilliant! Great job!” He complimented, making Tamaki swell with pride. He felt like he rarely got to be the one who made the breakthroughs in these quests, so it was always a nice feeling when he did. 

“Now that we have this we can head back to the house, start learning the game and wait for Riku to return.” Iori declared. They all nodded in agreement and left the library. All the way back to the house, Tamaki was smiling, he couldn’t wait to show the board off to Riku. 

There had been no change in Emi’s condition since Tenn and Riku last visited. Riku supposed he should be happy that she at least hadn’t gotten any worse, but he really hoped that she might have improved after they solved the latest task. But alas, no such thing happened. Riku now suspected that the only thing that was going to make his Gran feel better was them finding the mask and giving it to Senkhara. 

Riku and Tenn were told that Tsumugi’s appointment should take about an hour, and that she would come get them once she was done so that they could all return to the house together. Riku was a little sad that they wouldn’t get to stay with Emi longer, but at the same time he needed to get back and help the others so that they could finish this once and for all. 

At one point during their visit, Tenn declared that he was going to go and buy them both something to drink. Riku nodded and thanked his brother, but then he returned all of his attention to Emi. 

Soon, Riku felt Emi’s hand grip his own hard and thought that she must be waking up. Riku prepared himself to call for a doctor if it turned out she was in pain, but he also prepared himself to reach up and give her a hug if it turned out she wasn’t. However, when Riku looked up at Emi’s face, none of the options he had prepared for were what he saw. 

Emi’s eyes were open, but they were not her own, her eyes were completely black. And when Emi opened her mouth to speak, the voice was familiar, but definitely not her own. “Foolish boy!” Senkhara called out through Riku’s grandmother, making the redheaded boy take a step back. Or rather, try to take a step back, as Emi/Senkhara was still holding onto his hand in an iron grip. 

“The Chosen One? Such a disappointment! You have one last chance, bring me the mask!” Senkhara called out. Riku could do nothing but whimper in reply, both because of the fear, the worry for his Gran, and the pain in his hand. 

Then, Emi closed her eyes again, her hand went limp and the room grew silent. It was as if nothing had ever even happened. The only remnant of the incident were Riku’s broken sobs that could be heard throughout the room. And when Tenn returned to find his brother in such a state, he immediately grew worried and asked what was wrong. 

Riku, of course, couldn’t tell Tenn the truth. Instead he came up with some excuse that all the stress just got to him all of a sudden. Riku could tell that Tenn knew he was hiding something, there had just been too many similar situations recently. Also, there was the incident with the dollhouse, when Riku practically admitted that something was going on but that he couldn’t tell Tenn about it. Tenn knew that there was something much bigger going on and he hated that he couldn’t be there for Riku. 

It was only a couple of minutes after Riku had calmed down that Tsumugi came back for them and told the twins it was time to go back. Riku was torn, part of him wanted to stay and watch over his Gran, but he was scared that something like what had happened before could happen again. Also, he needed to help the rest of Sibuna. And so, the three of them left the hospital. 

The twins were silent throughout the entire car ride back to the house, but that didn’t stop Tsumugi from filling the silence. She was quite happy after her session. Her memories still eluded her, but the therapist had recommended someone that worked with people like her, helping them to remember. Tsumugi would have to call them to set up a meeting soon. 

Once they reached the house, Riku was the first one out of the car. Tenn stared after his brother in worry, but he wasn’t sure what he could do, so in the end, he did nothing. Meanwhile, Riku wanted to see if his friends had returned. He checked Iori and Tamaki’s room, which was empty, so he headed upstairs. Much to his relief, all four of his friends were in his and Nagi’s room, gathered around something on the floor. 

“Hey, how did it go?” Riku asked from the opening. The others all turned to him, looking happy which made Riku believe that they found something. It was Tamaki who explained, all the while grinning brightly. “It went great! We found Ritsu’s Senet board, and it has all the rules on the back! Actually, I was the one who found it! All by myself!” He declared proudly. 

Riku chuckled and patted Tamaki on the back. “Great job! That’s amazing, Tamaki!” He said happily, making Tamaki look even more proud of himself. Riku then joined them on the floor, sitting himself down between Iori and Tamaki. “So, the rules, how are they?” He asked. 

“Well,” Iori started. “It’s kind of like a cross between ‘Snakes and Ladders’ and ‘Checkers’. It’s a strategic game where one side takes on the role of ‘Gods’ while the others take on the role of ‘Humans’. I’m guessing that in the version in the tunnels, the statues represent the ‘Gods’, and we ourselves have to be the ‘Humans’.” He explained. 

Riku nodded, though he still looked a bit confused. “So, we won’t only have to play, we also have to be the pieces on the board?” He asked. Iori nodded, looking troubled. “Yes, it seems only one of us will actually play the game, that person will sit on the throne overlooking the board. The rest of us will form the pieces that move around the board.” He said. 

After that, Iori turned back to the smaller version they had found. “The goal of the game is to get across the board without being taken by one of the ‘Gods’.” He said. Riku frowned. “What happens if you get taken by a ‘God’? He asked. “Well, in a normal game, you lose that piece, like in checkers. In the tunnels… Well, we don’t know, and we’d like to keep it that way because if the past tasks are anything to go by, it won’t be good.” He said. Riku gulped but nodded. 

“How soon do you think we can play?” Riku then asked. “Well, we all tried to play the game against one another. And it’s not really a surprise, but Iori is the best of us. He’s the only one who has managed to get all of the pieces across the board without being taken by the ‘Gods’. All of us have lost at least one piece every time.” Nagi explained. 

Riku nodded. “Do you think you’ll be ready to play tonight?” He asked. Iori looked a bit uncertain, but he still nodded. “I think so. I’ve played four times, and twice did I manage to get them all across, so it’s a 50/50 chance. Although, theoretically, the game in the tunnels should be easier.” He said. 

Riku frowned. “Why is that?” He asked. “Because the statues don't move. They’re fixed in place, and so we already know all the dangerous squares. We should be able to avoid landing on them.” Iori explained. 

Riku nodded. “I see… Then I say we go tonight.” He declared. The others nodded, but Riku could see that Iori had something more to say. “How was your Gran?” Iori finally asked. Riku gave him a sad smile. “Not worse, but not better either… Although, I did get another visit from our favourite spirit. She talked to me through Gran, it was so creepy!” He said. 

Iori looked at Riku in sympathy. “What did she want?” He asked as he gently took Riku’s hand in his. “The usual.” Riku said with a shrug. “To tell us to hurry up and get her the mask.” He said. 

Sougo frowned. “You know, I’ve been thinking. Have we ever stopped to think about why Senkhara wants the Mask of Anubis? What is she going to do with it? I mean, she is a ghost, so she can’t very well wear it as an accessory…” He said. 

Iori, Nagi and Tamaki looked a bit concerned at the thought, but Riku just shook his head. “I don’t care what she wants it for, she’s going to get it either way! That’s the only way to get rid of this curse and save Gran!” He declared, and that was the end of that conversation. Why Senkhara wanted the mask was still a mystery, but Sibuna had more important things to think about. Especially now that they had decided to play the game tonight...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! Next time it's time to play the game... How will it go? Come back on Monday to find out! Thank you for reading this chapter, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	50. Chapter 50

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Sibuna to attempt to play Senet, will they be able to win? Or will something go horribly wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again with a new chapter! I hope you guys will like it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Riku was staring into the cold stone eyes of the Anubis statue across from him, That statue, along with four more like it, and a big board of Senet, was all that now stood between him and his friends and the Mask of Anubis. They were only statues, but they still sent shivers down Riku’s spine.

It was just past eleven PM, and Sibuna had just reached the chamber of Anubis down in the tunnels. They would soon start playing the game. Everyone’s nerves were abuzz with anticipation, which was understandable. After all, after tonight, they might be finished with this quest, they might have the Mask of Anubis. 

Riku turned to Iori. “Okay, explain again how this will work.” He said. Iori nodded and complied. “The goal is to get to the other side without being caught by any of the statues. The statues can only take you if you’re on a danger square, which on this board is marked by an Anubis symbol. The two sides will take turns, so first we have four moves, meaning each of you will move one square each, alternatively, one might stay and another one moves two squares. Then it’s the statues’ turn.” He explained. 

Tamaki frowned in confusion. “But wait, they’re statues, how will they move?” He asked. Iori nodded. “Right, this is where this version of the game differs from the smaller one. I’m guessing these statues are like the ones upstairs, they can spin, but otherwise they are stuck in place. So, once it’s their turn, they will spin a certain amount and point at one danger square each, and if you stand on that square, you’re out.” Iori explained. 

“Does that mean that even if you’re standing on a danger square, you might not get taken?” Sougo asked. Again, Iori nodded. “Exactly, each statue can only point to one square at a time, meaning even if there are twenty danger squares on the board, only five of them will actually be dangerous each round. The difficult thing is I don’t know how the statues will move, if there is a pattern to it, so I can’t be sure which ones are dangerous or not…” Iori said. 

Riku frowned. “There’s got to be a way to figure that out though, right?” He asked. Iori looked a bit uncertain, but then he gave Riku a reassuring smile. “I believe so, yes. I intend to make sure none of you land on any danger squares at the start so that I get a few turns to observe the statues’ movements. Hopefully, then I can learn how they move and determine if a danger square is safe or not. Because I honestly think this will be impossible without ever landing on a danger square, the challenge will be to determine whether it is safe or not.” He said. 

Tamaki gulped. “So, sooner or later, some of us will have to land on at least one danger square?” He asked. Iori nodded bitterly. “Yeah, but hopefully I can determine the statues' pattern by then to make sure that they won’t get you.” He said. 

“We don’t really have much of a choice. We have to win in order to get the mask and break the curse, so we have to take this risk.” Riku said, then he turned to Iori and gave him a full smile. “I trust you, Iori. I know you can get us across.” He said, then he leaned up and pressed a kiss on Iori’s cheek, making his boyfriend blush furiously. 

Iori cleared his throat. “Right. Let’s do this. Take your positions.” He said. iori then gave Riku’s hand a light squeeze before he let go and went to sit in the chair, where he could get a clear look at the entire board. As Iori did this, the other four lined up in front of the board, Tamaki and Nagi on the left side, Riku and Sougo on the right. 

Iori took a deep breath and then he started. “Okay, Yotsuba-san, Osaka-san, I need you two to both take a step onto the square closest to the wall on either side. Riku, you step onto the square right in front of you, and Rokuya-san, you take the square closest to the middle.” He instructed. They all did as Iori said, and so the game was afoot. 

They spent almost half an hour slowly moving back and forth just so that Iori could observe the statues’ movements. Then, Iori finally started moving them forward. They had crossed about half the board when the time came for the first person to land on a danger square. 

“Riku and Osaka-san, both of you take one step forward. Rokuya-san, one step to your left, and Yotsuba-san, one step to your right.” Iori instructed. Tamaki turned around and stared at Iori when he heard the instructions. “But Iorin… That’s a danger square!” He exclaimed. 

Iori nodded. “I know, but I did say that we would have to land on them sooner or later. I’m 90% certain that it won’t get you if you step on it, and if I can just get you past this one, I don’t think you will have to step on any more of those danger squares.” He explained. 

“But no one else is on a danger square!” Tamaki argued. Iori sighed. “I know! But Osaka-san and Riku will have to step on them sometime soon, the only one I think I can get across without landing on any danger squares is Rokuya-san. And I’m not 100% certain that will work either.” He explained. 

Tamaki stopped arguing, but they could all see him hesitating. He was scared of what might happen if the statue in front of him got him when he stepped on it. Iori leaned forward in his chair. “Yotsuba-san, trust me.” He said. 

Tamaki looked up at Iori again. “You said you were only 90% sure… What if it takes me?” He asked. “I understand that you’re afraid, but you will have to step on a danger square at one point. I could make another move, but it will only delay it. And maybe next time, I won’t even be 90% sure. Please, just trust me on this.” Iori said. 

Tamaki sighed, and then he closed his eyes, braced himself and stepped onto the danger square that Iori had instructed him to step on. Everyone held their breaths as they heard the now familiar sound of gears as the statues started to spin. However, the only statue they watched was the one near Tamaki. 

Tamaki had his eyes closed and he didn’t even dare to breathe. He couldn’t stop thinking about the possible 10% chance that he would be taken out, whatever that meant. The statue spun and started to slow, and for a second, they all thought it was going to stop pointing at Tamaki. But as it kept turning and finally stopped pointing at the square right in front of Tamaki instead of the one he was on, they all relaxed. 

Tamaki finally opened his eyes and when he saw that he was safe, he almost started sobbing. “You were right…!” He exclaimed and turned to Iori with a relieved smile. “Now I won’t have to step on any more danger squares?” He then asked. Iori shook his head. “I don’t think so, and if you do have to, it’s only once more, I promise. But I think I should be able to avoid that.” He responded. 

Tamaki nodded. “Okay…” He said, still trying to collect his nerves. Iori took a deep breath and nodded. “Right, let’s keep going. Yotsuba-san, take another step to the right, Rokuya-san, you take one step forward, Osaka-san, you stay where you are.” He started. Riku turned to Iori then. “Does that mean I get to move two steps?” He asked. 

Iori hesitated, and for a moment he looked almost afraid. Then he nodded. “Yes, I need you to take one step forward, and then one step to the left. And I know, this will land you on a danger square, but it should be safe! And after that, like with Yotsuba-san, I think I can get you the rest of the way across without landing on one.” He said. 

Riku nodded and immediately stepped on the square in front of him, but before he could step onto the next, Iori stopped him. “Wait!” He called out, making Riku turn around. “What? Did you change your mind? Should I do something else?” He asked. 

Iori hesitated, then shook his head. “You’re just stepping on it like that? You’re not hesitating at all?” He asked. Riku smiled up at him. “I told you before, I trust you. If you say you think it’s safe, then I believe that.” He said. Iori shook his head. “But that’s the thing, I’m not 100% sure it will be safe, I just think it will be. What if it’s not?” He asked. 

Riku chuckled. “Now you’re just doubting yourself, so stop it. We need to take these risks to get to the mask. I know it may not be safe, but it could be, and I’m willing to take that chance. And even if it isn’t safe, it’s not like we know what will happen. Maybe I’ll just have to leave the board or we have to start over or something.” He argued. 

Iori nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly. Riku smiled fondly. “So, do I step to the left or not? I leave the final judgement to you.” He said. Iori sighed. “Yes, take one step to the left. I think it should be safe.” He said. Riku smiled and nodded. “Okay, then that’s what I’ll do.” He said. 

Then, just like he said he would, Riku stepped onto the danger square to his left, ending their turn. The statues all started to spin, and just like last time, they all held their breaths, waiting to see if it would point at Riku or not. Finally, the statue started slowing down, and then it came to a stop. It was pointing right at Riku. 

Riku gulped down his nerves and waited, no one dared to do anything. When a few seconds passed and nothing happened, Riku turned to the others. “W-what happens now?” He asked. But no one got a chance to answer as just as Riku finished saying that, the square that he was standing on opened up like a trap door. Riku didn’t even have a chance to properly react to what was happening before he started falling. 

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!” Riku’s screams echoed until the hatch closed, leaving the room silent again. “NO!” Iori yelled, jumping down from the chair and almost running straight onto the board where Riku fell. He stopped himself just before he stepped out onto the grid, remembering that you couldn’t just enter it carelessly. 

“W-what happened to Rikkun?!” Tamaki asked, tears in his eyes. The others were too shocked to give him a proper answer, the only one who was saying anything was Iori, and he just shook his head and mumbled “No…” over and over again under his breath. 

They were all brought back to reality as they heard static, and then a Watanabe Ritsu’s voice with a new message. _“My warnings ignored now come the costs, continue the task and all will be lost. But if fallen friends you wish to reclaim, you have no choice but to finish the game.”_

The four remaining members of Sibuna took a minute to process this, and the first one to speak was Nagi. “Reclaim? That means we can get Riku back, right? So he must be okay, wherever he is! All we have to do is beat the game and we can get him back.” He said. 

Tamaki and Sougo nodded. “That’s what it sounded like…” Sougo agreed and Tamaki smiled hopefully. Iori tried to collect himself, wiping tears from his eyes. “We… we can get him back… We have to get him back…” He said. 

Nagi, Sougo and Tamaki nodded. “Exactly, so do we keep going now?” Nagi asked. When he heard that, Iori’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No! I… I need to practice more! I need to know I can get you all across safely! We can’t lose anyone else…” He said. 

The three others all nodded sympathetically. “Okay, but what do we do now then?” Tamaki asked, still crying from the shock of losing Riku. When Iori didn’t answer, Tamaki had to repeat himself. “Iorin! What do we do now?!” He asked. 

Iori looked up, but he still looked a bit distant. “Right! Right… Uhm… For now, just walk back the way you came.” He said. Sougo and Nagi nodded and started doing just that, but Tamaki was a bit too shaken up. “But… I don’t remember the way I came.” He said. “Uhm…” Iori said, trying to focus. “It’s fine… I remember it…” He said and then he proceeded to instruct Tamaki on how to get back. 

Once they were all back safely where they started, Nagi gestured to the tunnel behind them. “Come on, if we’re not going to play again now, we should leave.” He said. Sougo and Tamaki nodded and started following Nagi, but Iori stayed. He just stood there and stared on the spot where just a few minutes before, Riku had stood. “I’m sorry… It’s all my fault…” Iori whispered, trying to keep himself from crying again. 

Iori startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around, only to see Tamaki standing there with a sympathetic expression. “Iorin, it’s not your fault. You said before that you weren’t sure if it was safe or not, and Rikkun decided to go anyway.” He said. 

Iori shook his head. “But I should have tried harder…! I should have found a different way!” He said. Tamaki frowned. “You said it yourself, sooner or later, he would have had to land on a danger square! Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered anyway! Stop beating yourself up and just focus on the next game. We’re going to get him back, definitely.” He said. 

Again, Iori wiped at his eyes. “Right. We’ll get him back. We won’t stop until we get him back.” He said. Tamaki smiled sadly and nodded, then he started leading Iori over to where Sougo and Nagi stood waiting for them and started heading back. 

When they came up the stairs into the hall with more of the Anubis statues, the four boys found that they were no longer alone. At the end of the hall stood Senkhara, and she did not look happy. They all tensed up at the sight of her. “You guys see her too, right?” Tamaki asked in worry. Iori, Nagi and Sougo nodded. 

Senkhara looked up, finally noticing their presence, and her face hardened. “The Chosen One has failed! I have no further use for you minions!” She yelled. Then she held out her palms, the marks on there starting to glow. Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo winced and grabbed their tattoos, which started to burn. 

“Stop!” Iori called out, but Senkhara only stepped closer. Iori grew angry. “I said stop! Riku isn’t gone! We can still get him back! We promise to win the game, get Riku back and then get you the mask! Just give us one more chance! If you get rid of us now, then Riku really will be lost and you’ll never get the mask! Is that what you want?!” He yelled at the spirit. 

Senkhara frowned and lowered her hands, and simultaneously the pain stopped. “Fine!” She scoffed. “Find the Chosen One before Ra crosses the sky thrice over, or it really is finished!” She declared, and then she vanished. 

“Before Ra crosses the sky thrice over?” Tamaki asked, looking confused. “What did she mean by that?” Iori sighed. “Ra is the God of the Sun. We need to find Riku before the sun crosses the sky three times. In other words, we have three days to get him back, or all of us, and Riku’s Gran, will pay the price.” 

None of the Sibuna members got a good night's sleep that night, and by morning, the others noticed their dark eyes and tired behaviour. However, no matter how much they asked, they couldn’t get any good answers out of them. Tenn had to step out of the room for a moment, and when he came back he turned to Nagi. “Hey, where’s Riku?” He asked. 

“Huh?” Nagi asked, looking up startled. They hadn’t thought of any excuse as to where Riku might be at all… “He’s… Uhm…” Nagi started, but he couldn’t think of anything. “He got a phone call last night!” Iori declared, making Tenn turn to him and glare. Iori cleared his throat. “From your parents… I’m not sure what had happened, exactly, but he had to return home for a short while.” He said. 

Tenn scoffed. “Oh yeah? Then why haven’t I heard anything from mom or dad? Or from Riku for that matter?” He asked. Iori averted his gaze and shrugged. “How would I know?” He muttered. 

Tenn opened his mouth to argue further, but Tamaki interrupted him. “Tenten, why were you looking for Rikkun? Did you need him for anything?” He asked. Tenn frowned and sat back down at the table. “Phone call from the hospital. Gran had another attack tonight, but they managed to stabilize her. I thought we should go and visit her again after school.” He explained. 

Iori looked at Tamaki, Sougo and Nagi knowingly. The attack must have happened when Senkhara appeared. If they hadn’t managed to calm her down, Nanase Emi probably wouldn’t have made it through the night. 

Once they were done eating, the four boys retreated to Nagi’s room, like they usually would. “I think we should try again tonight.” Tamaki declared once the door was closed behind them. “I mean, we only have three days, right? We should go back down there tonight!” He said. 

“No!” Iori declared, shocking all of them, especially Tamaki. They thought he would be eager to return and get Riku back. “Why not?!” Tamaki asked. Iori averted his gaze. “I need more practice… We just need to win once, so it’s better to wait a bit longer to ensure that I can actually beat the game…” He said. 

Nagi and Sougo nodded. “Maybe Iori-kun is right.” Sougo said. “Yeah, Tamaki.” Added Nagi. “It might be better to spend some more time practicing so that we don’t lose anyone else and just have to play it once more.” He said. 

Tamaki scoffed. “But we need to try again as soon as possible! I mean, even if Rikkun survived, he doesn’t have any food or water, right? We don’t know where he is, maybe it’s really cold there! I can’t believe you’re all giving up on him! Especially you, Iorin!” He said. 

Iori turned to Tamaki, this time he looked angry. “I would never give up on Riku!” Iori yelled, stomping up to Tamaki and poking him in the chest. “I love him! Don’t you dare even imply that I don’t care! But we have to be sure that we can get this right because I don’t know if I could handle it if we lost anyone else!” Iori exclaimed. 

Tamaki looked a bit bashful after that, and both Nagi and Sougo remained silent. “I’m sorry…” Tamaki said. Iori turned around and even if he stood with his back to the others, they could all tell he was wiping frustrated tears off his face. “We will play again, as soon as we can. But now, I need to focus on practicing.” 

Slowly but surely, Riku started to regain consciousness. He blinked his eyes open, trying to get his bearings. It was with great effort that he managed to sit himself upright, seeing as his body felt weary and his head was pounding. Riku had to take a minute to just sit there and try to recall what had happened. 

Then he remembered all of it. He, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo had gone back into the tunnels to play the game of Senet to try and get to the Mask of Anubis. Only, they had failed, Riku had been taken by one of the statues and then he had fallen down a hole and gone down a long slide. Riku must have hit his head on the way down, which would explain why he had passed out and his pounding headache. 

Finally, he seemed to settle a bit, the pounding in his head was still present but it wasn’t quite as bad, and he started to regain some strength. Riku tried standing up, which he was able to do as long as he held onto something for support. And that was also when he started to properly look around the room he found himself in. 

The room was square, Riku would guess it was about 4x4 meters, but as he had nothing to measure with, he couldn’t be sure. Apart from himself, the only things in the room were some empty wooden crates. There was a door along one of the walls, but no matter how Riku tried to get it open, it wouldn’t budge. 

Apart from the door, there was another opening, which Riku quickly realized must have been the slide he came down after being taken by a statue. It was very steep, and Riku was pretty sure that even with his full strength and without his still pounding head, he still wouldn’t have been able to climb back up that way. However, if he didn’t see any other option, he might try it once he got some more strength back. 

The final thing Riku observed about the room was that it was relatively dark, there was only one source of light, which also seemed to be the sole source of fresh air into the room. This was a tiny air vent in the ceiling. In some cases this might have been seen as a possible exit, but even if Riku had been able to reach it, it was too small. No one could fit through it. 

Riku sighed, even though there were three spots in this room that might have been an exit under different circumstances, it seemed none of them would help him right now. The vent was too small, the slide was too steep, and the door was locked. The more Riku thought about it, the more he started admitting that he wouldn’t be able to get out by himself. 

In one last desperate attempt, Riku decided to call for help. “Hello?! Is anyone out there?! Help me! I’m stuck!” But as he waited, he received no answer. That was also when Riku realized he had no idea how long he had been down there by now, since he had passed out. Had it been a few minutes since he fell down? A few hours? It couldn’t have been over a day… Right? But then again, if he hit his head, it could have been a long time. 

This raised other questions. Did the others know he was still alive? Or had they assumed he was dead? Oh God, what would they do if they thought he was dead? Riku’s mind immediately went to Iori, he knew his boyfriend would blame himself, and if he thought he had gotten Riku killed, that could be enough for him to give up. Riku just had to hope that they knew he was still around. Hopefully, they would find him before it was too late. 

Riku sighed and leaned his head against the cold wall. He hated not being able to do anything other than to wait, there had to be something he could do… Something to at least contact the others. Riku remembered his phone… And then recalled that he had left it in his room. Riku sighed again, and then opened his eyes to just stare on the wall before him. But that is when he noticed a strange blue light coming from behind him. 

Instantly, Riku turned around. He was shocked to see someone very familiar standing before him, it was Tsukumo. However, as Riku looked closer, he noticed that he looked a little bit older than Riku remembered him, also, he wore a suit that looked both older and fancier than anything he had ever seen Tsukumo in. Then Riku noted the faint blue light that seemed to emanate from the man, as well as the fact that he was slightly transparent. And that was when it hit him, this man was dead, he was a ghost. 

Riku gulped. “Uhm… Hello?” He tried, unsure whether this man was friendly or not. The man met Riku’s gaze and then took a step towards him. “I see someone else has fallen in the quest for the Mask of Anubis. That’s too bad, for you at least.” He said. 

Riku noted that not only did the man look like Tsukumo, he sounded like him too. However, judging from the fact that he was a ghost and the way he spoke, Riku figured he must have been down here a long time. “Uhm… Did you also fall during the game? How long have you been here?” He asked. 

The man sighed. “If only I knew… Time down here is fluid, hard to keep track of. But I wouldn’t be surprised if a century has passed already.” He admitted. Riku’s eyes widened. “A century? And you never got out?” He asked. 

The man shook his head. “Once you’re here, there is no way out, at least not from inside.” He said. Riku raised an eyebrow at that. “Does that mean there is a way to open that door from the outside?” He asked. The man nodded. “Yes, you can open it by finishing the game. You are lucky, you have friends who can finish it. They are now your only hope, otherwise, you will end up like me.” He said, and then he vanished. 

Riku gasped. “Wait, don’t go! I have more questions! Who are you? What do you know?” He asked, but it was all in vain. The spirit was gone. Riku sort of hoped he returned, but he also hoped that he would get out as soon as possible, even if that meant he wouldn’t get another chance to speak with the dead man. However, Riku had faced the truth that there was nothing he could do. Just like the spirit said, his hope now rested with his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I would like to formally apologize for causing our boys pain... But then again, I'm not that sorry ;) What will happen next? Find out on Wednesday, which is when I'll be back with the next chapter! Until then, thank you for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	51. Chapter 51

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iori is still upset about Riku, who is still stuck in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry I’m a bit late, I’ve been busy today. But here is the new chapter, I hope you guys like it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me about anything, you can do that on Twitter: @EFagerhag

That day, Tamaki practically had to drag Iori to school, which was a new experience for them both. Usually, it was the other way around. But today, Iori did not want to stop playing, he wanted to get as much practice as he could so that they could play again as soon as possible. However, he couldn’t seem to concentrate. Yesterday, he had been able to win without losing any pieces half the time, now he couldn’t even win with one piece half of the time.

The others could all tell that he was stressing and worrying about Riku, but even when they tried to point it out, Iori ignored them. They had never seen him so out of it before. But perhaps it was to be expected, after all, his boyfriend had just fallen down a hole and they had no way of knowing if he was okay. 

Now that they had actually managed to get him to school, he seemed even more antsy. At least when he was practicing the game, he felt like he was doing something meaningful, something that would help them get Riku back. Reluctantly, Nagi and Sougo left him alone with Tamaki so that they could all go to their own respective classes. 

When Tamaki and Iori entered their class, the teacher motioned for them to take their seats as they were just about to start. They did, and then the teacher started the roll call. When they got to Riku’s name, both Iori and Tamaki looked up. “Is he sick? Or does anyone know where he is?” The teacher asked. 

Iori could feel his heart clench in his chest, and it only got worse when Tenn turned around to glare at Iori. “Yeah, does anyone know where he is?” He asked, his voice low so that no one but Iori and Tamaki could hear him. 

Iori could feel the oncoming panic, the guilt and the worry that had piled up about to escape him. Iori was not about to break down in front of the entire class, so instead he just grabbed his bag, stood up and then ran out of the classroom. “Izumi-kun?” The teacher called out in shock. 

“Shit...” Tamaki whispered and stood up. “I’m sorry, Iorin is not feeling so well this morning, maybe he should go back to the house. Don’t worry, I’ll check on him!” He said and started following Iori. Before he left the classroom however, he stopped and turned to the teacher again. “Oh, and Rikkun had to go visit his parents! Some sort of emergency, I’m not sure of the details.” He said and then he left. 

When Tamaki got out into the hallway, he was a bit worried, because he couldn’t see Iori anywhere. “Iorin?!” He called out, but received no answer. However, when Tamaki stopped to listen he could hear the footsteps of someone running down the hall away from him. He cursed under his breath and did his best to follow, which wasn’t the easiest when you only had the sound of footsteps to go on. 

A few times, Tamaki had to stop and look down the different paths, but finally he seemed to have found what he was looking for. He looked down the hall and saw that the door to the headmaster’s office was open, also, he could just barely make out sobs coming from within. Tamaki headed over there and entered the room. Sure enough, Iori sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and with his face buried in his arms. Tamaki sat down beside him. “Iorin, what are you doing in here?” He asked carefully. 

“Sorry...” Iori said. “Sorry I’m just breaking down like this... I don’t know what happened. This is all my fault and now I can’t even fix it!” He exclaimed. Tamaki sighed and placed a comforting hand on Iori’s knee. “Look, it’s not your fault. And you’re doing everything you can to get Rikkun back. I’m sorry I said that you were giving up on him this morning, I know you would never do that.” He said. 

When Iori didn’t answer, Tamaki took that as his cue to continue. “Why did you come to the headmaster’s office? And where is he?” He asked. 

Iori shrugged. “No idea where he is... He normally doesn’t leave the door open either... But I thought... I don’t know, I just thought maybe we should tell someone that Riku is missing, get some help. I know we shouldn’t because of the quest and everything, but I don’t know if I can do this.” He said. 

“You wanted to get help?” Tamaki asked in disbelief. “And you thought the headmaster was the one to ask? Wasn’t he one of the people who tried to get the Cup of Ankh last term?” Tamaki kept asking. Iori sighed. “Like I said, I wasn’t really thinking. I think any grown up would have done, I just happened to see that his door was open...” He answered. 

Tamaki nodded. “Okay, but maybe we should leave now, before he gets back? I mean, I don’t think Rikkun would want us to talk to anyone...” He said. Iori frowned and looked at Tamaki. “How would you know what Riku would want? The most important thing is to get him back, and if asking for help is the way to do that, then shouldn’t we?” He asked, clearly getting a bit agitated. 

Tamaki shook his head. “But we already know that in order to get Rikkun back, we have to win the game! There’s no use in asking anyone else for help! Besides, Rikkun clearly doesn’t want us to involve anyone else in this, especially not the grown ups! You’re too worked up and not thinking straight!” He argued. 

However, this only served to agitate Iori further. “I’m not thinking straight?! The only thing I’m thinking about is how to get Riku back! Can you say the same?!” He asked, and now he was yelling. 

Tamaki stood up. “Of course I am! We all want to get Rikkun back, but you’re obsessing to the point when you’re not thinking about the big picture!” He declared. Iori stood up as well then. “What big picture?! It’s all over if we don’t get Riku back!” He said. 

“But think about the curse! Think about Senkhara and Rikkun’s Gran!” Tamaki yelled back. “If we do this the wrong way it won’t matter if we get Rikkun back, because the spirit will just kill us all because we failed!” He said. 

Iori opened his mouth to argue back, but he couldn’t think of a good argument. However, as they had gotten more agitated, they had also raised their voices. The voices traveled down into the air vent in one of the lower corners of Sousuke’s office. What they didn’t know was that that specific air vent was connected to a certain room, and the room’s occupant started to pick up on their raised voices. 

“Hello? Is somebody up there?!” The room’s occupant called out, snapping both Tamaki and Iori out of their fight. They stared wide eyed at the vent, because they undoubtedly recognized the voice. “Hello?! Can you hear me?!” The voice called out again. 

Immediately, Iori and Tamaki knelt down next to the vent. “Riku?! Is that you?!” Iori called out desperately. “...Iori?! It’s me, Riku! Can you hear me?” Riku answered. Iori could feel tears of relief starting to fall, but he ignored them. “Yes! Are you okay?! Where are you?!” He asked. 

“I’m fine, mostly! Hit my head a bit on the way down, but it’s not so bad, and it’s getting a lot better! I am a bit hungry though... And I’m in a square room, there is a door, but it’s locked! I can’t get back out the way I came, it’s too steep! And the only other opening is this vent, but it’s too small!” Riku announced. 

Iori nodded before he realized that Riku couldn’t see him. “Okay! Listen, we’re going to get you out! We just have to win the game, then we’ll come get you! We talked to the spirit and she gave us three days to get you back, so just wait for us, okay?” Iori told Riku. 

“Okay!” Riku called out. “I’ll wait for you! I know you can do it, I know you can win!” He said, which made Iori smile faintly. “And Iori, you know I don’t blame you for this, right? I know you’ll do everything you can to get me back.” Riku called out next. 

The pain in Iori’s chest started fading, he hadn’t realized how much he needed to hear Riku say that. “I will. I’ll get you back, I promise! I will never leave you!” He called back. It was silent then for a minute, but then Riku responded. “I know. I love you.” He said, and then Iori started crying even harder. “I love you too.” He said. 

The moment was broken by Tamaki’s return. Iori hadn’t even noticed that he had left, but now he entered the room with his arms filled with a drink and some snacks. “Rikkun, I’m going to drop some food and drink down the vent! I don’t know if it will reach you, but it’s worth a try, right? Tell us if you can get it! If so, I’ll come back and give you some more tomorrow!” He said. 

“Really?!” Riku called out from below. “Try that! I’m really getting hungry and thirsty, so i would really appreciate it!” He said. Tamaki nodded and then he opened the vent so that he could throw whatever food he had gotten down there. He must have gone to a vending machine, because what he had was a bottle of sparkling water, a bag of chips, two protein bars, and a bag of candies. 

After Tamaki had thrown it all down, he and Iori waited to see if it reached Riku. “There! I see it! I should be able to reach it if I climb up on some of the boxes I have down here!” Riku soon called out. Tamaki and Iori shared a triumphant smile then. “Great! I’ll come back with more food for you later then!” Tamaki called out. “And be careful when climbing the box! Don’t fall!” Iori called out. 

After that, their conversation was cut short by the door to the office opening, and in walked Sousuke. “What is going on here? What are you boys doing?” He asked. Tamaki and Iori immediately flew to their feet, and it seemed like Riku must have heard Sousuke as well, because he remained silent. 

“Uhm... Sorry, we were looking for you, but you weren’t here and the door stood open, so we figured we should just wait. And then I dropped something on the floor.” Tamaki tried to explain. 

Sousuke frowned. “Well, you’re not supposed to enter my office at all unless I give you permission. I will overlook it today, but do not let it happen again. Now, what did you need me for?” He asked. 

Tamaki and Iori shared a look, telling each other they had no idea what to say next. “Sorry, Sir, but it seems we’ve forgotten.” Iori said in the end. “Right. So, bye!” Tamaki added, and then the two of them left in a hurry before Sousuke could ask them more questions. 

Once they were far enough away, Tamaki turned to Iori. “So, have you got your common sense back now? Will you finally be able to focus on what we need to do?” He asked. Iori sighed, gave Tamaki an apologetic smile and nodded. “Yeah, sorry I lost it... Hearing Riku’s voice and knowing that he is okay cleared my mind a bit. I’ll practice as much as I can, so let’s go back and try to play the game again tonight.” He said. 

“I thought you said you wanted to wait?” Tamaki asked in confusion. Iori nodded. “I thought so too, but after hearing Riku’s voice, I don’t want to make him wait longer than we need to. Of course, if I don’t feel ready by tonight, we’ll wait. But I have managed to beat the game in practice, so I know I can do it. I just need to get back into the right mindset.” He declared. 

Now Tamaki smirked and patted Iori’s back happily. “That’s what I’m talking about! It’s good to have the usual Iorin back! Now, let’s get through the day, practice some more, and then go and get Rikkun back!” He said. Iori smiled and nodded. “Yes. We will definitely get him back.” He agreed. 

Tsukumo was on his way to find Vera. Ever since their last visit to the tunnels, Tsukumo had spent his time either working on the Book of Isis, or relearning the rules of Senet. Now he wanted to try and play the game for real and figured Vera could be his opponent. 

Tsukumo could definitely see how the game in the tunnels would work, but he had one question. It was clear that the statues were supposed to represent the ‘Gods’ but what were the pieces for the ‘Humans’? Was that something he was meant to find? Had the kids already found them? Tsukumo wasn’t sure. 

Tsukumo soon heard Vera’s voice coming from the kitchen and went over there to see her. However, he stopped next to the open door when he realized she was in a phone call. Tsukumo figured he should just wait for her to finish before he went to see her. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but as he was waiting to hear the end of the call, he found himself listening in on what she was saying. 

“Yes, I’ve got the situation under control... I know, I’ll definitely have it by the end of the week... There were a few complications, but- Will you listen to me?! I told you I had it under control! The complications might delay me a day or two, but I will still definitely have it ready for you before the deadline... I know already... No, he still doesn’t suspect a thing... I told you, Tsukumo isn’t a problem, I’ve got it all handled! ...Yes, okay. Bye.” 

Tsukumo frowned, what had that been about? Vera sounded troubled, and judging from the conversation, it sounded like someone wanted something from her by the end of the week. Hopefully she was okay... But what was that part about her having him ‘handled’? This all seemed a bit suspicious, but Tsukumo was sure there was a logical explanation for all of it. 

Having decided to forget about that strange phone call for now, Tsukumo entered the kitchen. “Ah, Vera, there you are! I was looking for you!” He exclaimed. 

Vera smiled her usual kind and gentle smile. “Here I am. What did you need me for?” She asked happily. 

Tsukumo was relieved, it seemed that whatever that phone call had been about, it wasn’t troubling her too much. “Well, I was wondering if you were busy? Otherwise, might I suggest we play a round of Senet? You know, the game from the tunnels. If we’re going to beat the game down there, surely some practice wouldn’t hurt.” Tsukumo said. Vera smiled and nodded, then joined him in the living room. 

“So, Vera, do you want to be a human or a god?” Tsukumo asked. Vera rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath that sounded a lot like “Oh, not you too... What’s with everyone and being Gods?” Tsukumo frowned, he must have heard her wrong. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?” He asked. 

Vera looked a bit alarmed, but quickly collected herself. “Oh, sorry! It was nothing much, I just asked what you meant by that?” She said. 

Tsukumo nodded and started explaining the game. Vera listened intently, and once Tsukumo had assured himself that she understood how to play, they started. They played a few rounds and both seemed to get how the game worked pretty quickly. Still, they should probably practice some more before they try the real thing in the tunnels... 

Riku had been really happy when he had heard Iori and Tamaki, and of course he had also been really happy to receive some food. It wasn’t much, but it was a huge relief. The food was gone within minutes, but Riku tried to save some of the drink in case his friends couldn’t come back until tomorrow. 

His mood had increased a lot, partly because he wasn’t hungry or thirsty anymore, but also because he had been able to talk to his friends. They knew he was down here and that he was okay, or at the very least alive. They would get him out, Riku truly believed that. The only thing Riku wished was that Iori wasn’t beating himself up too much about what had happened. It was true that Riku didn’t blame him, but he could understand why Iori would think that. 

Sighing, Riku started pacing around the room, it was pretty much the only thing he could do at the moment. There wasn’t really anything he could do to escape other than to wait for his friends to beat the game and get him out. And now that his most urgent needs had been taken care of, Riku found himself awfully bored. 

Riku didn’t know how much time had passed, nor how much longer he would have to stay here, but he guessed he would, at the very least, have to wait another few hours for his friends to finish school. And that was only if they played as soon as they got back, which he didn’t find likely. They would probably wait a few more hours to get some practice in if he knew them as well as he thought he did. 

Riku had done a lot of waiting in his life, what with his many visits to the hospital as a child, but being confined to a room where there wasn’t even a comfortable place to lie or sit down was in a way worse. There was nothing to keep him distracted. At least, that was what he thought until a familiar blue light appeared in the corner of his vision. 

Riku turned around instantly and saw the ghost of the same man he had seen before, the man who looked like Tsukumo. “You’re back.” He stated. The man frowned and eyed Riku up and down before speaking. “Some people have the gift to see what most people don’t. Your gift is great, I can sense it.” He said. 

Riku gulped. “You mean... To see ghosts and the like? Because that’s what you are, right? A ghost?” He asked. The man nodded. “And may I ask, who are you? Or who were you, I suppose?” Riku continued to ask. 

“My name is Tsukumo.” He said, and Riku’s eyes widened. “Well... You don’t happen to be related to Tsukumo Ryou, are you?” He asked then. 

The ghost scoffed. “That is my foolish son. But if he is still around, maybe he’s not as dumb as I orignally thought.” He answered. 

Riku almost felt bad for Tsukumo then, the way his father talked about him was anything but kind. However, there was something in the spirit’s eyes, it almost looked like regret, mixed with a little bit of longing. Maybe he was more fond of his son than he was willing to admit. With nothing else to do, and since he didn’t feel like the spirit had any ill intentions, Riku decided that he might as well try and talk to him. “So, Tsukumo-san, you mentioned before that you had been down here a long time. What happened to you?” He asked. 

Tsukumo Senior sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I became blinded by my own greed. I coveted the power of the mask so much it ended up taking my life. Just like you and your friends, I cleared the tasks ahead of me in the tunnels. But I was unable to best the game of Senet. I suppose Ritsu was the only one I could never beat in that game, even back when he was still alive. And once I fell, my own son was too stupid to realize what had happened. I was on my own, with no one to look for me. And so, I quietly passed away down here.” He explained. 

Riku gulped. “But that... That won’t happen to me, right?” He asked. Tsukumo senior shook his head. “I don’t know, I can’t see the future. But I know that there is nothing you can do, it all depends on your friends from here on out. At least, unlike me, you have people who are looking for you.” He said. 

Riku looked down, his expression sad. “That must have been awfully lonely.” He said. The spirit scoffed. “I had no time to feel lonely! I was too busy searching for the treasures to make friends. It wasn’t until I got stuck here that I realized how wrong I was, in a lot of things. Because in this situation, having friends who will look for you is the only way out.” 

Riku looked up and met his gaze then, his eyes filled with determination. “My friends will get me out, I know they will!” He declared. The spirit looked away, but Riku thought that for a split second, a small smile adorned his face. “For your sake, I hope they do.” He said, and then he vanished once more, leaving Riku alone in the room with nothing but his thoughts and a half-empty bottle of sparkling water. 

Throughout the day, Iori had taken every chance he could get to practice playing the game, and he really started feeling like he might be able to do this again. He started winning more and more, most of the time getting all of the pieces across the board. Still, the normal game was a bit different than the one down in the tunnels, and he still hadn’t fully figured out how the statues moved. 

Even if there were still some question marks, Iori declared to the others that he wanted to try and play again that night. They were all for the idea and encouraged him that it would all be fine. 

And so, shortly after their curfew, Iori led Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo into the tunnels. They had decided to go via the library today, since they couldn’t use the secret entrance to the cellar from the kitchen. They moved through the dark night, reached the library and entered the tunnels from there. Once they reached the chamber of Anubis, where the senet board was, Iori stopped and just stared out over it for a minute. 

Tamaki soon walked up to Iori and slung his arm around his friend’s shoulders. “Hey, you can do this. We all believe in you.” He said. Iori took a deep breath and then looked over at Tamaki with a grateful smile. “Thanks, I’ll do my best.” He said. 

After that, they all took their positions, Nagi, Sougo and Tamaki by the board, and Iori up on the chair. Before he started, Iori took a minute to pull out his phone, open the camera and press record. “What are you doing, Iorin?” Tamaki asked. Iori hesitated, but then he told them. “It’s just a precaution, in case I fail and we have to play again. If I record the game, we’ll be able to observe the movements of the statues.” He explained. 

“Are you doubting yourself?” Nagi asked then, a small frown on his lips. Iori shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s just in case. I know I can beat the normal game, but the statues here move differently. It’s quite difficult...” He admitted. 

“Well, difficult or not, we still have to do it. Let’s go get Rikkun back!” Tamaki declared then, and they all nodded in agreement. And so, Iori started instructing the other three on how to move across the board. Iori quickly noticed something else that changed the way he had to think about his moves. Now that he only had three pieces to move around, one of them was forced to take two steps every round, which most of the time complicated it. It was easier when you only had to think about one move for each one of them. 

A few moves in and it started to become quite complicated. Iori took longer and longer to decide on the moves for each person. Part of this was the fact that it got more complicated when you only had three pieces as opposed to four, but another part was that he still doubted his abilities after what happened last time. He was afraid of losing anyone else, so he tried really hard to make sure they never landed on any danger squares. 

However, shortly before they had crossed half of the board, Iori realized that it simply wouldn’t be possible to get them all across without landing on any danger squares. Sooner or later, it would have to happen. He could only hope that he would be able to predict how the statues would move and which squares would actually be dangerous when the time came. Nagi was the first one who had to step onto a danger square, and Iori could hardly breath throughout that entire round. When the statue stopped pointing away from Nagi, the relief that flooded Iori was intense. 

The next round was just as nerve wracking. Nagi ended up having to move twice and stopped on another danger square, but he wasn’t the only one. Tamaki also had to stop on a danger square, but unlike last time, he didn’t hesitate to follow Iori’s instructions. He knew that if he started to argue because he was afraid, Iori would probably listen and change his move, which would only delay them. So, Tamaki trusted Iori and stepped onto the danger square. 

In the end, all was fine and no one faced a statue. They kept going for a while, and then Iori suddenly got very quiet as he thought about the next move. “I think... I think all three of you will have to land on danger squares this time. I know Yotsuba-san will be safe, based on how the statue moves, but I’m not 100% sure whether Rokuya-san and Osaka-san will be. I think it should work, but maybe I should try and think of something else.” He said. 

Sougo and Nagi looked at one another and then shook their heads. “No, we’ll trust you this time as well. It’s gotten us this far, after all.” Sougo said. Nagi nodded. “Besides, we need to keep moving forward, if we just move sideways to avoid the danger squares, we’ll never reach the other side.” He argued. 

Iori sighed and nodded. “Okay, then go with what I originally said. I think it should be safe.” He said. And so, that is what they did. The statues spun and then stopped. Iori had been right that Tamaki would be safe, the statue pointed to the complete opposite side of him. Nagi had also remained safe, the statue ending up at two squares to his right. However, much to their horror, Sougo was not safe like the others. And soon, the floor beneath him vanished and he fell down into the same dark abyss as Riku had. 

“NO!” Iori yelled, clearly upset and shaken by what had happened. He came down from the chair and walked to the edge of the board, both Tamaki and Nagi staring at him all the while. “What do we do now, Iori?” Nagi asked. “Do we keep going or come back?” 

But Iori only shook his head in disbelief and mumbled to himself. “Not again... I can’t do this... I can’t do this... I can’t do this...” 

Sensing that their friend was in no state to keep playing, both Nagi and Tamaki started making their way back to the start. They had both paid more attention to the way they came this time around, so they didn’t need Iori to tell them where to step. Once they were back, they both crouched next to Iori. 

“It’s going to be okay, we’ll just have to try again. We’ll get them both back, I’m sure of it.” Nagi said. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, and now you have that video recording! You can study that statues’ movements!” He exclaimed. 

But Iori kept shaking his head. “No... I don’t think I can do this... I don’t think I can beat this game...” He said, and then, without waiting for the other two, he started running back out of the tunnels and towards the house. Nagi and Tamaki of course followed him. For now, they would let Iori deal with it by himself, but they would need to talk to him in the morning. They may have lost Sougo, but this meant they only had more reasons to win that game and get their friends back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no! Sougo fell as well... What will happen next? And what is the deal with the ghost of Tsukumo’s father? Come back on Saturday to find out, because that’s when I’ll be back with the next chapter! Thank you for reading and also for leaving kudos and comment! <3


	52. Chapter 52

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Sougo falls down the hole, Iori is struggling to find the courage to play again. Meanwhile, Riku wonders if the spirit of Tsukumo's father will visit him again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I am back with a new chapter! At around my usual time again. Once more, sorry for the slightly late update last time. ^^ Either way, please enjoy this chapter! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Riku was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of someone screaming, as well as the sound of something coming down the slide into the room. It wasn’t long until he realized what was happening. And his suspicion was confirmed when, a few seconds later, Sougo fell down from the slide and face planted on the floor. “Sougo-san!” Riku exclaimed and knelt by his side.

Sougo groaned and pushed himself up, which relieved Riku slightly. At least he was still conscious. “Sougo-san, are you okay? What happened?” Riku asked. 

Sougo had to take a moment to just gather his bearings, but then he looked at Riku with a sad smile. “Riku-kun… I’m okay, a bit banged up from that slide, but it’s not bad. We tried to play again, but as you can see, it didn’t go exactly as planned…” Sougo explained. 

Riku nodded sadly. “I see… I hope Iori isn’t beating himself up too much about it. I feel like this might really get to him.” He said, and Sougo nodded in understanding. “Yeah, he was very upset after you fell. I can’t imagine this made him feel better.” He said. 

Riku sighed, and then decided to change the topic to try and keep their morale up. “Well, we may be stuck here for now, but at least we can keep each other company! I was starting to go crazy from being by myself with literally nothing to do.” He said. 

Sougo smiled then, although Riku could tell it was a bit forced. “Yeah, what is this place anyway?” He asked. Riku shrugged. “Not sure, a square room with nothing in it except some empty crates. I tried stacking them before because I was bored, but that lasted a whole five minutes before that got boring too. Anyway, we can’t really do anything other than to wait.” He said. 

Sougo sighed, but nodded in acceptance. “There’s no way out then?” He asked. Riku shook his head. “No, not from inside. The door is locked with no handle on the inside, and it’s too sturdy to break. The slide is too steep and slippery to climb back up. And the only other opening is a tiny air vent that no one can fit through.” He explained. 

Sougo nodded. “Right, the one that connects to the headmaster’s office in the school? That was how you could talk to Iori-kun and Tamaki-kun, right?” He asked. Riku smiled. “Yep, and they can also throw food down there for us, so we shouldn’t have to worry about starving to death at least.” He said. 

After that, Sougo and Riku sat side by side and just talked to pass the time. But even though they talked about a lot of things, there was something that Riku wasn’t telling Sougo. He never mentioned the visits from Tsukumo’s father. And who knows, maybe Sougo would meet him before this was over, maybe he would stop visiting them now that Riku wasn’t alone, or maybe Sougo just wouldn’t be able to see him. 

Riku wasn’t sure why he kept this a secret from Sougo, he just felt like those conversations he had had with the spirit had been somewhat private, even though they hadn’t talked about anything in particular. And while it was a bit unnerving to think of the spirit, there was still a part of Riku that was intrigued, that wanted him to visit again. Only time would tell if this would happen or not. 

Early the next morning, when Vera was just starting to make her way downstairs, she was surprised to find that someone was already up, and making a phone call on top of it. Soon, Vera recognized the voice as the one belonging to Tsumugi, the previous housemother. The young woman was still staying at the house, and was meant to do so for at least another three days. So far, she had not recalled any memories of importance, but Vera was afraid it might only be a matter of time. 

Feeling curious, Vera decided to try and listen in on Tsumugi’s call. “Yes, I’m certain… Are you sure it isn’t a bother, what with me calling on such short notice? …Oh, I would really appreciate it! Yes, this afternoon works perfectly… How about around three o’clock in the afternoon? Yes, it’s just to come… Okay, thank you very much!” She said, and then ended the call. 

Vera frowned, it sounded like Tsumugi had made some sort of appointment, the question was just what that appointment was. Vera was curious, and she also needed to be really careful, considering what she had done to Tsumugi. So, she decided to ask her. 

“Good morning, Tsumugi!” Vera greeted happily as she stepped into the living room, where Tsumugi had been to make the call. The younger woman smiled at Vera. “Good morning.” She said. “I heard you talking, what was that about, if I may ask? It sounded like you made some sort of appointment…” Vera said then. 

Tsumugi beamed up at Vera. “Yes, I called someone my therapist recommended, he can supposedly help with my memory! I just made an appointment, so he’s coming here to the house to work with me for about an hour this afternoon.” She explained. However, the happy-go-lucky expression soon melted off her face. “That was okay, right? Maybe I should have discussed this with Tsukumo first…” She added, sounding a bit worried. 

Vera smiled and shook her head. “I’m sure it’s fine. If you want, the two of you could use my room for the appointment. It will be private and you won’t be bothering anyone up there.” She suggested kindly, making Tsumugi smile gratefully. “Oh, that would be wonderful! Thank you!” She said. Vera nodded and watched as Tsumugi left the room. 

Once she was alone, the smile on Vera’s face vanished. She couldn’t allow Tsumugi to meet with that memory doctor, it was too much of a risk. However, this did provide Vera with a way to deal with the problem once and for all. She picked up the phone that Tsumugi had left and pressed the redial button, making it automatically call the last number that had been entered. 

A man soon picked up and Vera did her best to imitate Tsumugi. “Hi, sorry, it’s me again, Takanashi Tsumugi. I just realized that I have something else going on today, so I wish to cancel the appointment…” She said. Once that had been cleared up and Vera had ended the call, she picked up her own phone to make a different one. 

The Collector soon picked up the phone. “I have a favour to ask of you. It’s about Tsumugi, the girl we kept in the barn…” Vera explained. “I’d like you to pretend to be her memory doctor, make sure she never recalls what actually happened the last few weeks. Make it empty, give her new memories, I don’t care. As long as she doesn't know what we did.” Vera said. She could only relax once The Collector agreed to fix the issue with Tsumugi’s memories. 

As soon as they had eaten and gotten ready, Iori, Tamaki and Nagi started making their way towards the school. They wanted to try and find an opportunity to talk to Riku and Sougo through the vent in the headmaster’s office. They knew he might be in there, so they would maybe have to wait for him to leave. 

They still hadn’t discussed how to proceed from here on out. They had two more days until Senkhara’s deadline, but they didn’t know whether to risk playing again tonight already, or if it was better to wait until tomorrow. Also, while Iori hadn’t been as shaken up or as visibly upset as yesterday, he still hadn’t touched the game to practice, nor had he mentioned anything about playing again. 

When they got to the school, the door to the headmaster’s office was closed, but they didn’t know whether he was in or not. They were just about to knock when they heard a voice from down the hall. And it wasn’t any voice, it was the voice of Yaotome Sousuke. They checked it out and saw him walking away from the office and towards the lounge, which meant that this was their chance. 

That morning, Tamaki had grabbed some fruits and extra sandwiches from the breakfast table so that they could give Riku and Sougo something other than snacks and candy. Still, it wasn’t a lot, so Tamaki had asked Nagi to go and buy some more stuff for them. 

Meanwhile, Iori was fiddling with the lock, trying to pick it open. And just as Nagi returned, Iori succeeded. The three friends entered the office and closed the door behind them, so that their voices wouldn’t carry outside. Then they knelt in the corner next to the vent and got it open. 

“Hello? Rikkun, Sou-chan, can you hear us?!” Tamaki called out, and then they waited. It only took a couple of seconds before they got an answer. “Tamaki, is that you? We can hear you!” Riku called out. Tamaki grinned, and both Nagi and Iori looked relieved as well. “Yep, and Nagicchi and Iorin are here too! Are you two okay? Did Sou-chan get hurt falling down last night?” He asked. 

“I’m fine!” They soon heard Sougo reply. “Well, we brought you guys some food and drinks again, so we’ll throw that down now.” Nagi called out then. Riku and Sougo thanked them and so Nagi and Tamaki started throwing things down. Once it was all received, the two boys who were stuck thanked the others yet again. 

“Don’t worry, you guys! We’ve still got two days before Senkhara wants you out, so there’s still time to beat this game!” Nagi called out then. “Exactly! We’ll get you out of there!” Tamaki agreed. “Good luck. You can do it!” Sougo responded. 

After that, it was silent for a second, before Riku called out from the room. “Iori, you’re there too right?” He asked, making both Nagi and Tamaki turn and look at Iori, who had been strangely quiet this whole time. “Yeah, I’m here.” Iori answered. But when Riku didn’t say anything more, Iori took the initiative. “Did you want to say something?” He asked. 

“Tamaki and I can leave the room if you guys want to talk in private.” Nagi suggested and Tamaki nodded enthusiastically. Iori rolled his eyes. “It wouldn’t be private even if you left, considering Osaka-san is stuck down there with Riku.” He pointed out. 

Then, finally, Riku responded. “It wasn’t anything important, I just wanted to hear your voice… I miss you, so you better come get me soon! Oh, and Sougo-san also, of course!” He said. Iori had to fight back tears at that, but he still managed a reply. “Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to get you out! And… I really miss you too.” He said. 

After that, they didn’t have enough time to say anything else as they heard footsteps outside. “Shit!” Tamaki exclaimed before he called out to warn Sougo and Riku that the headmaster was returning. Meanwhile, Nagi and Iori got the vent back in place, grabbed their bags and stood up. And then the door opened and they were face to face with Yaotome Sousuke. 

Sousuke frowned and looked at the three boys one at a time. “I thought I locked this door… How did you three get in?” He asked. “You must have forgotten, it was open when we got here.” Nagi said quickly, Iori and Tamaki nodding frantically in agreement. 

“Well,” Sousuke started then. “What did you need? Don’t tell me you forgot like you did yesterday?” He asked, sounding awfully irritated. “Uhm, well, you see…” Tamaki started, but it was clear that they all struggled to come up with an excuse, and they didn’t want to say the same thing they had yesterday. 

It was then that Iori came up with something. He had been talking to Akihiko about the exhibition closing down soon, it was its final week at the school, and maybe they could use that as an excuse. “Actually, we wanted to tell you about an idea we’ve got. We wanted to get your opinion.” He said. 

Sousuke nodded for Iori to go ahead and continue, which Iori did. “It’s about the Treasures of Egypt exhibition. As it is closing down by the end of the week, I thought it could be fun if we did some sort of reception, or goodbye celebration. Maybe a party in the library itself? Or if that’s too small, maybe here at the school? Or perhaps we could have a smaller get-together at Anubis House for those more closely involved with it?” He suggested. 

Sousuke sighed and sat down at his desk. “Well, while I appreciate that you came here with your idea, a proper celebration is already in the works. A few days ago, I pitched the idea to Vera and Tsumugi, and they will be preparing a feast over at the House of Anubis the day after the exhibition closes to the public.” He explained. 

“Oh.” Iori said, not sure what else to say really. Sousuke nodded. “So, if that was all you had to say, you may leave now.” He declared. Iori, Tamaki and Nagi nodded, and then promptly left the office. They didn’t want to stay in there any longer than they had to. 

Shortly after their friends had left Riku and Sougo alone, they had started eating. And almost immediately after they had finished eating, Sougo fell asleep against one of the crates. Riku wasn’t all that surprised, Sougo had barely slept anything that night, so once he had gotten some food in him, it was only natural to feel a bit tired. 

However, Riku was wide awake. He tried to keep track of time, even though it was difficult, and only slept during nighttime. If he kept up a normal schedule, or at least as normal as he could, he figured it would be easier once he got back out. Besides, there were more things than the fact that it was the middle of the day that kept him up. Riku was worried about Iori, about how he was taking it after losing Sougo as well. 

However, he didn’t get much time to dwell on that right now as he noticed that he and Sougo were no longer alone in the room. “Tsukumo-san! You’re back!” Riku said, keeping his voice low so that he wouldn’t wake Sougo. Tsukumo nodded. “Indeed. I’ve been alone down here for a very long time. It would be a lie if I said your company upset me.” He said. 

Riku smiled, so the ghost had been lonely. He supposed that made sense, if he really had been confined here for as long as he said he had. Riku turned to watch Sougo, to make sure he really slept, and then turned back to the spirit. “Did you wait to come out until Sougo-san was asleep? Would he also be able to see you if he was awake?” He asked. 

The spirit shook his head. “I did wait, but it's not because I don’t want your friend to see me. He does not have your powers, even if I wanted to, I couldn’t show myself to him. Only the most powerful spirits have the power to show themselves to people without the sight. I figured it would be bothersome if he saw you talking to no one.” He explained. 

Riku smiled. “So you waited for my sake? Thank you. Also, what you said about strong spirits… Is that why my friends can only see Senkhara sometimes? While I can see her everytime she appears…” He asked. 

Tsukumo’s father nodded. “Yes, she has the power to show herself to your friends, but only when she wants to. But you on the other hand, you can see her even when she doesn’t try. That is but one of the differences between you and them, Chosen One.” He said. 

Riku frowned at that. “I’ve been wondering for a while, but I had no one I could ask… What does it mean exactly? To be the Chosen One, I mean.” He asked. It was something that had bothered him ever since he found out the truth. But the only one he might have been able to ask was Sara, since she had also been a Chosen One, but she was gone now. 

“You don’t know what it means?!” Tsukumo’s father asked, and he seemed genuinely surprised. Riku could do nothing but shake his head in response. The spirit sighed. “It means that you are a direct descendant of the Egyptian priestess Amneris! Her bloodline has long been filled with magic, and in you it is the strongest.” He explained. 

Riku scowled. “But what about my brother? I mean, we’re twins, and Kujou-san always thought he was the Chosen One… Why is it only me?” He asked. The spirit shook his head. “The term Chosen One means there can only be one. And while all descendants of Amneris have some sort of power, only the strongest ones are capable of wielding the powers that come with being chosen. You were more adept than your brother because of the time of your birth.” He said. 

“Oh.” Riku said. “Because I was born on the seventh hour of the seventh day of the seventh month?” He then asked, and Tsukumo’s father nodded. “Yes, on the holy hour. Also, Watanabe Sara, the Chosen One before you, passed on her powers directly to you herself. You must have noticed that your powers only started to show once you got here and had met her. And that they have only grown stronger since her passing.” He said. 

Riku nodded sadly, he didn’t like to think of Sara’s death, but what the spirit said was true. “Does that mean… that Sara was also a descendant of Amneris? Were we related?” Riku asked then. The spirit nodded. “Yes, she was a distant relative. You’d probably have to go back a century or two to find the connection between her and your line of the family, but yes.” He explained. 

Riku was silent after that, trying to process all of this new information he had been given. Sara wasn’t just an old lady he met and had a connection with, she was family, no matter how distant it was. Even though it was a lot to take in, it somehow made sense in Riku’s head. 

Seeing as Riku wasn’t going to say anything, Tsukumo’s father took it upon himself to continue. “Being the Chosen One is a huge honour, but it can also be a burden. It means there are things that you will have to do alone, because nobody else is capable of what you are. It means that there are some things about you that others will never understand, because they don’t carry your responsibilities. There are both good and bad things that come out of being the Chosen One, the Paragon.” He said. 

Riku frowned and looked up at the dead man then. “The Paragon? What is that?” He asked, he had never heard that word before, but he had a feeling it was important. “The Paragon is you.” The spirit responded. “It is what the ancient Egyptians called the Chosen One. The one who was meant to keep the world safe.” He explained. 

Riku’s eyes widened in shock. “The world?! Isn’t that a bit much?!” He asked in worry. The spirit chuckled. “Relax, it’s not quite as big as I made it sound. The Egyptians believed the Paragon would protect their world, in other words, their empire. In modern times, it means you only have to worry about the remnants of that great civilisation.” He explained, which made Riku relax a bit. 

“Like, the objects and curses the Watanabes brought with them from Egypt? That’s something I’m supposed to protect people from?” Riku asked, and the spirit nodded. “Yes, exactly. It is why Senkhara sought you out, because you are the only one here capable of handling the powers of the mask.” He said. 

“The powers of the mask…” Riku repeated. “You mentioned that before, that you were blinded by the powers of the mask. What are they?” He asked. Tsukumo’s father sighed. “I apologize, but it is not my place to tell you. But the answers will come in time. Just know that it is more powerful than you think, and that there will be a choice ahead of you. Sacrifices will be made before all of this is over.” He said. 

Riku gulped. “Sacrifices? Like, people will die? Can I stop it?” He asked in concern. The spirit looked sad. “You cannot escape your destiny, Chosen One. But I believe that you will be able to find the best possible solution.” He said, and then, just like before, he vanished, leaving Riku with more questions. And furthermore, there was a feeling of dread that started to overcome him as he thought about what Tsukumo’s father had said about a sacrifice. He just hoped that he was right, that Riku really would be able to find the best solution. 

Iori had been strangely quiet all morning, however, it was different from the day before. He still reacted normally whenever Tamaki, Nagi or someone else spoke to him, and he didn’t seem all that upset. In fact, it seemed more like he was seriously thinking about something. At first, Tamaki and Nagi assumed that Iori was thinking about how to beat the game, but it was during their lunch break that they learned the truth. 

“I’ve been thinking things over ever since last night.” Iori declared suddenly, interrupting what Tamaki and Nagi had been discussing beforehand. The two turned and watched their friend. “Yeah? About what?” Nagi asked. 

Iori sighed and averted his gaze, making himself look almost guilty. “I don’t think I can beat the game…” He admitted. Both Nagi and Tamaki’s eyes widened and they were both quick to try and tell him otherwise. “What are you talking about? Of course you can! You beat it most of the time when it’s the normal small version of it!” Tamaki said. Nagi nodded. “Yes! You’ve just been unlucky with the way the guards move is all.” He argued. 

But Iori shook his head. “That’s not it though! The guards’ moves aren’t random, at least I don’t think they are. And even if I can beat the normal game, you need to think in a completely different way when you play the game down in the tunnels. It keeps getting more and more difficult the more people we lose.” He explained. 

Tamaki and Nagi eyed one another, then turned back to Iori, their gazes filled with determination. They needed to make sure Iori didn’t give up on this now. “We know it’s hard, but we both believe in you, so don’t give up now.” Nagi said, Tamaki nodding enthusiastically all the while. 

However, Iori only looked frustrated. “I’m not giving up, that’s not what this is! I tried to think about this calmly, and I’m just stating, I don’t think I’ll become good enough in the short time before the deadline. The game gets more difficult, and for every time we lose someone, I become more afraid of it happening again, which makes me more careful. But that’s not the way to win this game, you need to be more assertive. Because I already lost two people, I don’t think I can do that. I’m not saying we should give up, of course not, but I think someone else should play next time.” He explained. 

Tamaki and Nagi still looked doubtful, but they could understand Iori’s point. “But…” Tamaki started. “Iorin, I get why you think like you do, but me and Nagicchi aren’t even close to being as good as you at playing the game! There’s no way we could beat it! You’re our best shot.” He argued. 

Nagi nodded. “Yes, besides, you have studied the statues more than either one of us, so if anyone will be able to predict their movements, it’s you.” He said. 

But Iori was adamant about this and kept shaking his head. “This isn’t a decision I made lightly. But I have decided, I will only play if I absolutely have to. Also, what both of you said is true, out of the three of us, I am the best Senet player, and I have had the most time to study the statues, but I actually wasn’t thinking that either of you should play…” He said. 

Now, this confused Nagi and Tamaki a lot. What did Iori mean by neither of them should play? In that case, who would? “What do you mean?” Tamaki asked. Iori looked up, meeting their gazes, his expression full of seriousness. “I think we should bring in someone new. And before you argue about what a terrible idea that is, just hear me out!” He said. Reluctantly, Tamaki and Nagi nodded. 

“Once we beat the game, we’ll get Osaka-san and Riku back, and then all that is left to do is get the mask, give it to Senkhara and we’re done. No more dangerous quests and no more curses. It should be safe enough for them to help us. Also, maybe it will be good to look at it through fresh eyes. If we get someone who is incredibly strategic, I don’t think it will even matter that the deadline is tomorrow night.” Iori explained. 

“You already have someone in mind, don’t you?” Nagi asked, and Iori nodded, confirming this. “If we get someone who really cares about the ones who have fallen down, or even just one of them, that will serve as a motivation. They wouldn’t say no, even knowing about the curse.” Iori argued, and then he looked off to the side. 

As Nagi and Tamaki followed Iori’s gaze, they immediately understood who he had meant. They were all staring directly at Nanase Tenn. “You want to ask Tenten for help? But you don’t even like him.” Tamaki pointed out. 

Iori sighed. “That’s true, but he would do anything to get Riku back. Also, Riku mentioned before how his brother is great at checkers, which is kind of similar to senet. Apparently, he used to play it a lot against a computer back when he was confined by Kujou-san. I don’t have to like him to admit that he is smart and strategic. Also, he knows everything that happened last term, and Riku told me Tenn knew something was going on now as well, except he doesn’t know what.” He explained. 

“So,” started Nagi. “He is good at a similar game, cares deeply about Riku and would therefore be serious, and he already has some background knowledge about what is going on, which will make it easier to explain.” He said, quickly summarising why Iori thought it would be a good idea to get his help. 

“Are you sure, Iorin? Wouldn’t Rikkun be upset?” Tamaki asked then, but Iori could sense that he had already managed to win over both him and Nagi, albeit reluctantly so. 

Iori nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. And I know Riku will be upset, but it’s more important that we get him back in the first place, and I think this is our best bet.” He said. And that was the final straw. Nagi and Tamaki nodded, agreeing with Iori’s idea to ask the older Nanase twin for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're really planning on asking Tenn for help, how will that turn out? Come back on Monday for the next chapter, to see how that will play out! Thank you so, so much for reading! And also for leaving kudos and comments! It means a lot! <3


	53. Chapter 53

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iori asks Tenn for help getting Riku back, will he agree to help them out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm back with a new chapter! I hope you will like it ^^ If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

Iori had seemed so sure in his decision about asking Nanase Tenn for help when he pitched the idea to Nagi and Tamaki, but in reality, he was still a bit hesitant. He didn’t get along with Tenn, and he knew that Riku would be upset with him for involving his brother. So, Iori tried to list the arguments he had brought up to his friends earlier as a way to convince them to go along with his plan. And then, as soon as school ended for the day, he gave Tamaki a knowing look and then walked up to Tenn.

Iori had asked Nagi and Tamaki if he could talk to the older twin by himself, which the other two had been reluctant to do at first. But Iori had wanted to be the one who explained it, had felt like this was his way of taking responsibility for what had happened to Riku and Sougo. He knew it was a bit ridiculous, but he felt relieved once his friends agreed to let him do it. 

But now, as he stood in front of Tenn and waited for him to notice him, he almost regretted it. Having his friends here to help him explain would have been easier. But he couldn’t back out now, so instead he cleared his throat to get Tenn’s attention. 

Tenn looked up and frowned when he saw Iori. “What do you want?” He asked, and he neither looked or sounded happy to see Iori. Iori gulped down his nerves. “I want to talk to you. Alone.” He said, and then he realized how weird that sounded and quickly added, “It’s about Riku.” 

At the mention of his brother’s name, Tenn looked a lot more intrigued. He didn’t say anything, but he nodded, grabbed his bag and followed Iori out the door. Iori led them into an empty classroom, one he knew wouldn’t be used more today. He closed the door behind them and settled down at one of the desks, feeling like he wanted to be sitting down for the conversation they were about to have. 

Tenn mirrored Iori and sat down at a different desk. Then he looked up at Iori, his gaze cynical and calculating. “What did you have to say?” He asked. Iori quickly averted his gaze, feeling way too exposed under Tenn’s intense stare. This was it, he would have to swallow his pride, tell Tenn what had happened, what he had done, and then ask him for help in fixing it. 

“Like I said, it’s about Riku. You’ve probably already guessed this, but he hasn’t gone back to your parents.” Iori started. Tenn’s glare changed, it grew colder. “I knew it. Where is he? What happened?” He asked. 

Iori gulped down his nerves once more, and then it all came out of him. He told Tenn about the spirit, the search for the mask, and the curse that had been placed upon them. He told him that there were secret tunnels beneath the house that led to the mask, but he didn’t go into details about the tasks. Then he told Tenn about the final task, about the game and how wrong it had gone. He told him how first Riku and then Sougo had fallen down the holes because of Iori’s mistakes, and that the only way to get them back was to beat the game. And then he told him about the deadline, that if they didn’t do it before tomorrow night, Senkhara would kill them all with her curse. 

It was a lot to take in, but Tenn seemed to be doing quite well. Of course, it helped that he knew everything that had happened last term and that Riku was the Chosen One. Still, Iori was surprised how well he was taking it, he even looked less and less angry the more Iori explained. 

“So, you’re telling me that for almost two full days, Riku has been stuck in some underground chamber because you lost a game, and the only way to get him back is to win said game?” Tenn asked. Iori nodded. “And don’t forget that it has to be done before midnight tomorrow.” He reminded Tenn. 

Tenn scowled. “And why are you telling me this? Why would you tell me it’s your fault Riku is stuck somewhere? You hate me, and I assure you, the feeling is mutual, but what brought you here? Why did you decide to tell me the truth?” He asked, this was the one part about Iori’s explanation that Tenn didn’t understand. 

Iori sighed. “Because I don’t think I can beat the game, at least not before tomorrow night. I’m too careful, and I’m also rubbish at following instincts. Also… I think you might be able to beat the game, and I would do anything to get Riku back. Even asking you for help.” He explained. 

Tenn’s eyes widened. “You… you want my help?” He asked, not quite able to believe what he was hearing. Iori blushed and averted his gaze, this was clearly uncomfortable for him, and then he nodded. “Riku mentioned you being really good at checkers, and it’s kind of similar to senet, the game in the tunnels. Also, you care a lot about Riku, so I know you would take it seriously.” He explained. 

Tenn frowned. “So, you really think I will be better than you at this?” He asked, feeling just a little bit smug. Iori sighed in annoyance. “I don’t know! I just know that I won’t be able to do it, and you were the first person that came to mind when I tried to think about who else might be able to beat the game!” He admitted. 

Again, Tenn glared at Iori, but there was undoubtedly less hostility in his gaze now. “And you were willing to take the blame, admit you can’t do it, and ask me to do it instead, just because you want to get Riku back?” He asked. Iori hesitated, but then he nodded. 

Tenn sighed, but when he looked back at Iori again, his eyes were filled with determination. “Show me the game.” 

Tsumugi was nervously pacing around the entrance hall of Anubis House. It was the early afternoon and she was eagerly waiting for the memory therapist to arrive. She was nervous, but also really excited. Walking around with a couple of weeks worth of memories completely forgotten was not fun, and she wanted to get them back. 

So, when there was a knock on the door, she quickly went to open it. On the porch stood a middle aged man with dark hair, pale skin and dark eyes. He smiled at her and held out a hand for her to shake. “You must be Takanashi Tsumugi, my patient? It is a pleasure to meet you.” He said politely. 

Tsumugi smiled, nodded and shook his hand in return. “Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Mr…?” She said, wanting to know his name. the man smiled and let go of her hand before he answered. “Takamine, that is my name.” He said. “Well then, Takamine-san, please come in.” Tsumugi said and gestured for him to come inside, which he did. 

Tsumugi then pointed to the stairs. “We’ll be using one of the bedrooms upstairs if that will be fine? Please follow me.” She said. Takamine nodded and did as he was told. As he was walking up the stairs, he caught the eyes of Vera from the living room, where she was cleaning. He gave her a quick wink and then followed Tsumugi the rest of the way. The young woman would go through with the treatment being none the wiser about what had actually happened. 

As soon as they got back to the house, Iori, Tamaki and Nagi led Tenn upstairs to Nagi’s room, where they kept the normal senet board. Iori proceeded to explain how the game worked and what the goal was, and then they started to play. As Iori was their best player, he took on the role of the Gods so Tenn could practice being the Humans. 

They played four rounds at first, which went pretty well. Tenn won three of them, and twice he won without losing any of his pieces. “You’re pretty good, Tenten! This might actually work!” Tamaki exclaimed, and Tenn smirked. “I’m clearly better than Izumi Iori over here.” He said, smirking at Iori. 

Iori rolled his eyes. “I’m not used to being the Gods is all…” He said, feeling like he had to defend himself even after everything he had admitted before. Tenn noticed and shook his head. “Says the guy who admitted that he couldn’t do it and asked me for help.” He said. “If you’re going to be an asshole about it, you could just leave.” Iori barked back. 

“Woah, relax you two! Remember, we’re doing this to get Riku and Sougo back!” Nagi reminded them, effectively stopping the argument. Nagi and Tamaki weren’t sure if they had expected more or less hostility from the two. Sometimes, they would get along fine, mostly when neither of them were talking, but still. But there were also times like just now when the tension got them and they would snap at one another. Nagi and Tamaki suspected Riku was the only reason they were being somewhat civil. 

“I feel like I get how the game works now.” Tenn said after another victory. “But something tells me the real thing is more than just this. Because this isn’t all that hard, I’m sure even you would have been able to beat it by now.” He added, looking at Iori. 

Iori sighed. “Yeah, the game downstairs is somehow much more difficult. The thing that is different is the Gods, or the statues. They are all stuck to one square in the tunnels, but they rotate each time, which creates five dangerous squares between each round. It’s practically impossible to get everyone across without landing on at least one danger square, but I’m having trouble predicting where the statues are going to stop.” Iori explained. 

“Also, you won’t have four pieces, only three, when you play in the tunnels! Since the three of us will be your pieces! That means you have to think differently as well.” Tamaki pointed out and Iori nodded in agreement. “Yes, it got more difficult with less pieces.” He said. 

Tenn raised an eyebrow. “Then, from now on, I’ll practice with only three pieces from the start. That should make it a bit easier. About the statues though, I can’t do anything to prepare for that without seeing their movements myself. I’ll be even more unprepared than you, considering you’ve already had two games to observe them.” He said, looking at Iori. 

“What about the video?” Tamaki asked then, making them all turn to him. “What video?” Iori and Tenn asked in unison. Tamaki rolled his eyes. “Did you forget, Iorin? When we played last time, you recorded the game so you could study the statues if you failed. You can show that video to Tenten so he could see how they move!” He explained. 

“Oh…” Iori said. “I had completely forgotten about that.” He said before he pulled out his phone and unlocked it. “I’ll send the video to you so you can study it.” He said. Tenn nodded. “Yeah, that would help.” He said. 

After that, they kept working for the rest of the afternoon. Tenn alternated between watching the video, taking notes, and playing a round with Iori. Soon, it was time for dinner and they had to leave the room. “When do you think you’ll be ready to play?” Tamaki asked enthusiastically as they walked to the dining room. 

Tenn frowned. “Well… While I do want to get Riku and Osaka-san out of that room as soon as possible, I also want to be as prepared as I possibly can be. You said you had until midnight tomorrow, right?” He asked and the other three nodded. “Then I think I’d like to wait until sometime tomorrow. I want to play a few more times using only three pieces to really get how to think when doing that. Also, I need way more time to study the way the guards move if we’re going to get you all past that game.” Tenn said. 

Tamaki, Nagi and Iori all nodded. “So, tonight we’ll just keep practicing?” Tamaki asked and Tenn nodded in agreement. “Yes, I think that’s for the best.” He said. “Well, as long as we do it before Senkhara’s deadline, it’s fine.” Iori said. And so, it was decided. Tenn would keep practicing, and tomorrow, they would play to try and get their friends back. 

Shortly after having finished their dinner, Tamaki found that the food he had eaten had not been enough. He wanted more. And so, he had left the others to go downstairs and get a snack or something to eat. However, when he reached the kitchen, he heard voices coming from inside and stopped. 

Tamaki stayed just outside the door to try and hear what was going on inside. One of the voices definitely belonged to Vera, and the other was a man’s voice that sounded awfully familiar, yet Tamaki couldn’t quite place it. He risked a peek inside and gasped. Right there in their kitchen was Kujou Takamasa. 

Well, the man looked quite different, but Kujou had made such a strong impression on Tamaki that it was hard to mistake him for someone else, even if he wore a disguise. He had a wig and a fake mustache on, but those eyes couldn’t be mistaken. But what was he doing in Anubis House? 

“And? Did it work?” Vera asked impatiently. Kujou nodded. “Not to worry, her mind was already in a fragile state so it wasn’t that difficult. The fake memories have been planted. I let her keep her memories leading up to the incident with the ox bell, but after that, you’ll find her memories to be quite different from what actually happened.” He answered. 

Tamaki gulped, Kujou had done something to Tsumugi to make sure she didn’t remember being kidnapped. Was that the only reason he was there? 

“Well, thank you for that. It would have been troublesome for us both if she remembered what actually happened.” Vera said, looking relieved. “Yes, it would.” Kujou agreed, but he did not look as relaxed as Vera did. “Now that that’s been taken care of, how are things going with that other thing?” He asked. 

Vera tensed up. “I told you, I’ve got it under control. There are still a few days left until the deadline. I assure you, I’ll have the mask for you by then.” She said. Kujou smirked. “For your own sake, I hope you do.” He said, and then he left the house. 

Tamaki cursed under his breath, all thoughts about getting a snack had flown out the window as he instead made his way back upstairs so he could share what he had just overheard with the others. “Guys, we have a problem.” Tamaki said the moment he entered the room. 

“As if we didn’t have enough of those… What is it now?” Iori asked in concern. “Kujou Takamasa was just in the house! He was talking to Vera in the kitchen.” Tamaki explained. Immediately, the others tensed up, especially Tenn. “He was here? Is he still here?” Tenn asked worriedly. 

Tamaki shook his head. “No, he just left. But I think Vera had him do something to Tsumugi to make sure she doesn’t remember being kidnapped! He mentioned how when she wakes up, she will remember everything up until the incident with the ox bell, and from there on, he planted fake memories or something…” He explained. 

“He can do that?” Nagi asked in concern. Tamaki shrugged. “He mentioned it being easier since her mind was already fragile, I’m guessing from losing her memories. Maybe he can’t just do that on everyone he meets…” He said. 

“Look, this may sound bad…” Iori started. “But maybe this was for the best.” He finished. “What do you mean?” Tamaki asked. “I just mean that the memories Tsumugi won’t have, they weren’t good ones to begin with. Maybe it’s best if she never recalls those few days. If he left everything up to that point intact, I’m not sure if this is a big problem…” He admitted. 

“Well, that would be going into an entire moral dilemma, because it’s not up to us to decide what she remembers or not… But I suppose we have more important things to worry about at the moment.” Nagi pointed out. Iori nodded. “Exactly. Maybe we can discuss fixing this later, but for now we have to focus on getting Riku and Osaka-san back.” He said. 

Tenn nodded, but then he looked up at Tamaki again, as if he had something he wanted to say. “Was that all Kujou-san wanted? Did he say anything else?” He asked finally. Tamaki sighed. “Well, I now know that Vera is supposed to get the mask for him. He gave her a deadline a few days from now, not sure of the specifics though.” He explained. 

Iori and Nagi shared a look at that. “Well, we suspected as much. And our deadline is tomorrow, and it sounded like whenever Vera is supposed to give Kujou-san the mask, it’s after our deadline. So again, we need to focus on winning this game.” Iori said and Nagi nodded. “Yeah, we can worry about all of this when we’ve reunited with Riku and Sougo.” He said. 

Tamaki nodded and then they all turned to Tenn. “You’re in, right?” Iori asked. Tenn nodded. “Of course. But you are going to have to deal with this. If Kujou-san says he’s after the same mask as you are, he’s not just going to give up. He’ll be back.” He said. 

“We’re aware. But that’s a problem for another day.” Nagi said. Tenn nodded. “I agree, first and foremost, let’s get Riku and Osaka Sougo back.” He said. After that, they went back to helping Tenn practice the game, but there was a new tension that hung above them. Even after what they had said, they all worried about what Kujou Takamasa might do… 

The next day, as everyone had gathered for breakfast, Tsumugi was eagerly telling all of them about how fabulous of a job her memory doctor had done. That she could remember everything that had happened, and how it was such a shame that she had forgotten all about the best vacation of her life. 

Iori, Tenn, Nagi and Tamaki of course knew this was false, and also why. Gaku and Ryuu were also aware that these memories weren’t real, as they had helped rescuing her, but they did not know the reason why. When they saw that Tenn was taking this better than them, they asked him if he knew something about it. But, not wanting to involve them any more than he already had, Tenn shrugged and said that maybe she had just gotten a really bad memory therapist. 

Gaku and Ryuu wrote it off as nothing, but when Tenn rose from the table and left along with Iori, Tamaki and Nagi, Gaku and Ryuu found it a bit strange. All day yesterday, Tenn had been spending time with them, and Gaku and Ryuu had no idea why. Even when they asked, Tenn wouldn’t tell them. 

Now, maybe the fact that Tenn was spending time with others wasn’t all that weird, but it couldn’t be for a school project, as Nagi was with them, who was in a different year. Also, despite havng shared a room for a while (before Kujou confined him), Tenn and Nagi really didn’t seem all that friendly. He didn’t seem to be friends with Tamaki either, and then there was Iori. Both Gaku and Ryuu knew just what Tenn thought about the younger Izumi brother, seeing as he was dating Tenn’s brother, there was a lot of hostility there. 

This was why this was so strange, neither Gaku or Ryuu could think of any good reason why Tenn would wilingly spend time with Iori’s gang. Also, there was the fact that first Riku, and then also Sougo, had left the house for strange reasons, and without a warning beforehand. Something was clearly going on, but Gaku and Ryuu both weren’t sure how to figure out what it was, since Tenn clearly wasn’t telling them anything. 

When they got to their room, they saw, to their surprise, that Tenn had returned there. He seemed to be packing his bag for school while also watching a video on his phone. When Gaku tried to sneak a peek at what he was watching, Tenn quickly turned his phone away so that Gaku couldn’t see what he was watching. Gaku frowned. “Secretive much?” He asked. 

Tenn rolled his eyes. “What I do on my phone is none of your business. I’d show you if it was something you needed to see.” He replied, which only annoyed Gaku further. Still, he tried not to show it. “I see you’re getting ready for school, are you leaving already? Ryuu and I were going to wait a bit though…” He said. 

Tenn nodded. “Yeah, sorry, but you’re going to have to go without me today. I’ve got some stuff to do.” Tenn said, then he grabbed his bag and made for the door. “Hanging out with your new friends? Since when did you get along with the younger Izumi anyway?” Gaku asked, and now his irritation started to slip through. 

Tenn turned around with a smile on his face, but his eyes betrayed nothing, and they did not look as happy as the smile suggested. “Same answer as before. It. Is. None. Of. Your. Business.” He said, stopping after each word to really make his point, and then he left, slamming the door shut behind him as he went. 

Ryuu eyed Gaku. “Well, that went well. Do you always have to sound so irritated when you talk to Tenn?” He asked. But Gaku only rolled his eyes in exasperation. “We’ve always talked like that to one another, it’s not like I’m going to stop now. What’s his deal anyway? He’s practically avoiding us.” He said grumpily. 

Ryuu sighed. “Well, like he said, it’s not our business what he does. Still, I am getting a bit concerned. If this is still going on tonight, maybe we’ll try and talk to him again.” He said. Gaku nodded in agreement, and then they both continued getting ready. 

As soon as the two of them were ready, they left for school. They didn’t see Tenn along the way, but then again, why would they? He left about half an hour ago, so he must have already arrived at the school. However, even though they didn’t see Tenn, they saw someone else, but this was someone who shouldn’t be there. 

“Gaku, look!” Ryuu exclaimed and pulled on Gaku’s arm. “Isn’t that the same car as the one The Collector has? Or, Kujou Takamasa, I mean. When we were watching his exchanges with Akihiko-san, that was his car, right?” He asked, looking worried. 

Gaku looked at where Ryuu was pointing, and sure enough, it looked just like Kujou’s car. “What the hell is he doing here?” He asked angrily. Ryuu gulped. “You don’t think he’s here for Tenn, do you? Should we go find him after all? Maybe we need to warn him…” He said. 

But Gaku only shook his head. “No, I have something different in mind…” He said, and then he headed for a patch of trees a bit away, where he then continued to make his way towards the car. “What are you doing?” Ryuu asked, his alarmed voice was barely above a whisper. 

Still, Gaku shushed him. “I just remembered that that bastard still has our gem. If he’s here, that means no one is at the barn right now. We could sneak over there and try to find it, since we never got a chance to do it last time!” Gaku said. 

Ryuu looked at his friend as if he had gone completely crazy. “Are you mad? It’s too risky! We should try and find Tenn instead, warn him that his old stepdad is here!” He exclaimed. But it was in vain, for Gaku had already made up his mind. He was going to take this opportunity to take the gem back. 

Gaku turned to Ryuu then, his face serious. “Look, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going back to the barn to try and find our gem, and I’m going with or without you. Now, you can either go and warn Tenn, or you can come with me. If you’re really that worried, just send him a text! But just know that I’m going. Now.” He said. 

Ryuu shook his head in disbelief. “Now? But what about school? It starts in like ten minutes!” He said. Gaku scoffed. “What does one schoolday matter? Besides, if we’re quick, we might even make it back in time for lunch and can go to our afternoon classes. Now, are you coming with me or not?” He asked. 

Ryuu sighed. “Okay, fine. But just know that I think this is a stupid idea, and if something goes wrong, it is all your fault!” He said. Gaku smirked and then motioned for Ryuu to follow him to the bus stop. “Also, I’m texting Tenn! He should know that Kujou-san is here at the school. And I’m telling him what we’re doing. If something goes wrong, he should know where we went.” He said. Gaku shrugged, telling Ryuu to do whatever he wanted. So that is what Ryuu did. Hopefully, this would all work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! Wow, there's only five chapters left now! This is really getting close to the end... I'll be back with the next chapter on Wednesday, so look forward to that! Thank you for reading, and also thank you if you decide to leave kudos or comments! <3


	54. Chapter 54

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the final day before the deadline and Tenn keeps practicing. Meanwhile, Riku talks to the spirit of Tsukumo's father some more, and Gaku and Ryuu reach Kujou Takamasa's hideout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you have a good day! I'm back with a new chapter, please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

“How did it go?” Nagi asked Tamaki as he came jogging back to the lounge to join the others. They still had a little over five minutes left until their first class of the day. Before this, Nagi had gone off to his homeroom as he was in charge of chores that day, only to come back to the lounge once he finished. Meanwhile, Iori and Tenn had stayed in the lounge to keep practicing the game. That left Tamaki with the task of checking on Riku and Sougo, as well as throwing down some food.

“It went well, I managed to get all the food to them. Though the headmaster was only gone for like three minutes, so I had to leave really quickly after that. We barely talked at all, but they said they were still fine.” Tamaki explained. 

Iori and Nagi nodded. “Well, the deadline is midnight tonight, so until then, nothing should happen to them.” Iori pointed out. “How about you?” He then asked, looking at Tenn. “Will you be ready to play after school?” 

Tenn frowned. “It just has to be sometime today, right? Then can we maybe do this tonight? I’m making progress, but I’m still working on figuring out how the guards move…” He admitted. 

“You sure you can’t play before tonight?” Nagi asked then, which was what they were all thinking. They were all eager to get their friends back as soon as possible. Again, Tenn frowned. “Look, I want to be as prepared as possible, because I’m pretty sure we only get one shot at this. If I feel ready earlier on, I’ll let you know, otherwise, let’s at least wait until after dinner.” He declared. 

Iori sighed, then looked at Tamaki and Nagi, who both nodded. Then Iori turned back to Tenn. “Right, let’s do that then. Class is about to start, but let me know whenever you want to play a round.” He said. Tenn nodded. “Right.” He answered. And then they all went to their respective classes. 

Riku was starting to get really tired of the tiny room he was confined to. Having Sougo there made it a little bit easier, but it was still really wearing him down. Most of the time, the two were just talking, telling each other stories, coming up with theories, or they were playing word games. There wasn’t really much else to do to pass the time. 

A highlight was always when the others came with food for them, by the time that happened they were always really hungry. Also, it was their only contact with the outside world, and it reminded them that there were people out there who were coming for them. Although, today’s visit had been cut short by Sousuke, so Riku hadn’t gotten nearly as much time as he would have liked to talk to his friend. 

Luckily, Riku suspected that his time in this room was coming to an end pretty soon. If he hadn’t completely lost track of time, their deadline was a few hours away. So, at the end of the day, he and Sougo would either be out of the room, or Senkhara would have killed them all with her curse for failing to get the mask. Riku shuddered at the thought of it happening, so hopefully they could beat the game on time. 

Just like yesterday, Riku and Sougo ate together, and shortly after that Sougo had fallen asleep, leaving Riku alone with his own thoughts. Or, not so much alone. This time, Riku had expected the spirit to appear, so he wasn’t startled at all when he saw a blue light shortly after Sougo had curled up on the cold floor. 

“Tsukumo-san, you’re back!” Riku exclaimed, sounding happier than he ever thought he would when speaking to a Tsukumo. He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t mind the company of the old man’s ghost. He wasn’t overly fond of the way he seemed to act towards his son, he seemed rather mean then, but otherwise he was an interesting character. 

Tsukumo’s father nodded. “Yes, I find it quite enjoyable. You’re the most exciting thing that has happened ever since I fell down here.” He said. Riku smiled sadly and nodded in agreement. “Yes, I imagine it must have been boring, and not to mention lonely.” He said. Tsukumo nodded. “Yes, but I suppose you can grow accustomed to anything if you experience it long enough…” He said. 

That saddened Riku a bit, he supposed his spirit really had been down here for almost a hundred years… That was so long, Riku couldn’t even imagine it. Riku gulped. “If… If I die here, will I become like you?” He asked timidly. The thought had crossed his mind, but it was not one that Riku liked to entertain. 

The spirit shrugged. “Perhaps, but I can’t say for sure. You have a lot of power, so it’s likely you could stay behind… But if you die with no regrets I suppose you would have no reason to stay. So, basically it all depends on you. Why? Are you giving up hope?” He asked. 

Riku quickly shook his head. “No! I know my friends will do everything they can to get me and Sougo-san out of here! I just have to wait! But when you do nothing but wait, you kind of start to think about these things…” He admitted. 

The spirit nodded, as if he understood that perfectly. “I suppose.” He said. Riku looked up at him, and that was when he recalled their previous conversation. “Actually, I had a question for you. Last time, you mentioned the powers of the Mask of Anubis… What exactly are its powers? And why did you want it?” He asked. 

“You seek the mask without even knowing what it can do?” Tsukumo senior asked in surprise. Riku nodded and Tsukumo sighed. “The mask has many powers, but I sought it because I wanted the tears of gold it can produce.” He answered. 

Riku nodded. “Tears of gold… That is an ingredient in the recipe for elixir, right?” He asked. The spirit nodded. “Yes, the most important one, without it, the elixir is powerless. I received a few from Ritsu as a gift for taking care of the house. But when I used them to brew the elixir, we had our first falling out. He never approved of me doing that, I’m guessing that’s the biggest reason why he hid the mask in the first place. When I ran out of the tears that were given to me, that was when I started my search for the mask.” He explained. 

“So, the Mask of Anubis really is the key to the elixir. I mean, you can’t make it without the tears of gold, and the mask seems to be the only way to get them.” Riku stated. “That’s why you wanted them.” He then said, looking up at Tsukumo’s father. It wasn’t a question, because they both knew it to be true. 

“Yes.” Tsukumo senior confirmed anyway. “I longed for immortality in this life, not some Egyptian afterlife.” He said. Riku looked up then, startled. “What did you say? Egyptian afterlife? What does that mean?” He asked curiously. 

The spirit sighed. “Well, whoever wears the Mask of Anubis-” He started, but then he was interrupted by a new arrival. Riku recognized her immediately, it was Senkhara. “You have said enough, old man! Begone!” She exclaimed, then waved her hand in the air and the spirit of Tsukumo’s father vanished into thin air. 

Riku stood up, alarmed by Senkhara’s presence. It only got worse when she turned to stare right at him with anger in her eyes. “I am tired of waiting, Chosen One! Your friends do not have long, and if they fail, I will replace you.” She said. 

Riku shook his head in disbelief. “Well, I can’t do anything about it from down here! And what do you mean by replace?” He asked. Senkhara scoffed. “Perhaps your brother can do what you cannot? His powers are nowhere near as strong as yours, but he is also a member of the holy bloodline, a descendant of Amneris. Surely, there is some power hidden within him.” She said. 

Riku’s eyes widened in alarm. “No! You can’t touch him! I’ll get you the mask, I promise!” He said. Senkhara laughed, cold and cruel. “I thought you said you could do nothing about the situation. If your friends fail, I will give up on you. This is their last chance. When the clock strikes twelve, all of your fates will be decided.” She said, and then she vanished once more. 

Riku was left standing there alone. Or technically Sougo was with him, but he was still asleep, and Riku didn’t want to bother him. He waited, hoping that maybe the spirit of Tsukumo’s father would return and keep him company, explain the rest about the mask’s powers. But alas, Riku was all alone with his thoughts until he, too, drifted off to sleep. 

The final class of the day for the first years had been supposed to be spent reading. However, Tenn had sneakily kept his phone in his book so he could watch the video of the last game Iori played again, to try and figure out the way the statues moved. Whenever a teacher walked by, Tenn was quick to hide his phone. Luckily, no one ever noticed. 

Late last night, Tenn had made a theory about how each of the statues moved, and for every time he watched the video again, he became more and more certain that he was right. So, when the bell rang and announced that it was the end of the school day, Tenn immediately put his phone away, closed his book, grabbed his bag, and walked over to Iori and Tamaki. 

“I think I figured it out!” He declared proudly. “Figured what out?” Tamaki asked, sounding really confused. But at least Iori seemed to get it. “The game? The statues?” He asked eagerly. 

Tenn nodded. “Yeah, I think I figured out their patterns! The only one I’m still not certain about is the one farthest in the back… Sometimes that one will break the pattern… But, if I have all the rest figured out, I should be able to get all of you in front of the last one, and if I do that, at least one of you should be able to get all the way across.” He explained. 

Iori nodded. “That’s all we need to win, to get one of us across to the other side. When do you think we should play? Do you still want to wait until after dinner? Or can we go earlier?” He asked. 

Tenn considered it for a while. “Well, I’d like to try and play the normal game once or twice now that I think I figured the statues out, at least… But I think we could go a bit earlier.” He said, making both Iori and Tamaki appear pleased. 

“How bout this,” Tamaki started. “Nagicchi has one more class to attend, we can stay here and play while we wait for him to finish! You should be able to play two games in that time! Then, once Nagicchi is done, we can head over to the library and enter the tunnels.” He suggested. 

Iori nodded. “I think that sounds like a good plan.” He said. Then, both Tamaki and Iori turned to Tenn, looking eager. Tenn gulped. “So, it’s finally time then?” He asked. The other two nodded and Tenn sighed. “I think I can beat it, but you need to know that I can’t be completely sure I have it figured out.” He said. 

Tamaki smiled and shrugged. “We know, but it’s fine! We weren’t completely safe when Iorin played either, obviously. Just do your best.” He said. Iori nodded, though Tenn could see the conflict in him. “I guess… You are a better player than me, so it should be fine. Let’s just get Riku back as soon as possible.” He said and started walking away. Tenn scoffed, that was probably as close to a compliment as he would ever get from Iori. 

Tamaki frowned and followed Iori out of the room. “And Sou-chan! Don’t forget that we’re getting him out of there too!” He called out as they left. Tenn took a deep breath and followed them. While they were just going to practice, it was only about an hour before they would be heading towards the tunnels. He was starting to get really nervous. 

Riku slowly let his eyes flutter open, and then he just stared at the ceiling for a minute. When he felt like he was properly awake, he sat up and looked around the room. There was no real way to tell how much time had passed since he fell asleep, but Sougo was still sleeping next to him, so Riku guessed it hadn’t been that long, two or three hours at most. 

Sighing, Riku thought back to what had happened before he had closed his eyes. Did Senkhara really intend to have Tenn finish the task if Iori, Tamaki and Nagi failed to beat the game and get them back? Would that even work? From what Tsukumo’s father had explained to him about being the Chosen One, it seemed like Riku and Tenn’s abilities were quite different. 

Riku couldn’t let that happen, this was his problem to deal with. He was the one who needed to get the mask and break this curse, if only so that the people he cared about would be safe. That was what it meant to be the Chosen One, wasn’t it? Even the spirit had said that the Chosen One was supposed to be some sort of protector. 

However, no matter how determined Riku was to finish this task and make things right, it didn’t change the fact that he was stuck in a room with no way out. He knew that if his friends didn’t get him out before the end of the day, Senkhara would kill them all. There wasn’t really anything Riku could do from where he was, and that was the worst part in all of this, feeling so helpless. 

Riku sighed again, but was then startled by a familiar blue light. He hadn’t expected to see the ghost of Tsukumo’s father again after Senkhara intervened last time, but he was pleasantly surprised by his appearance. “You’re back!” Riku exclaimed happily. 

The spirit nodded. At first, Riku thought he looked sad, but upon taking a closer look, Riku found that he looked more resigned and apologetic than sad. The spirit opened his mouth, then seemed to hesitate, but then decided to speak after all. “I will shortly be taking my leave. And this time, it will be for good.” He declared. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “Like, you’ll move on? Your spirit will no longer be trapped here? How come, after so long? And why?” He asked. Riku was feeling rather conflicted. He should probably feel happy for him, being stuck here all alone for so long couldn’t have been very pleasant, after all. But there was also a part of him that was sad to see him go. Almost lonely. Riku supposed he had been good company down here. 

Tsukumo’s father nodded. “We must all depart this world sooner or later. My stay has already been longer than it should have been. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure why I stayed behind, what I needed to do in order to pass on. Not until you came along.” He said. 

Riku gasped. “Me? You’ve been waiting for me?” He asked. The spirit smiled slightly then, which was a bit weird since he shared Tsukumo’s face, and it wasn’t often that man smiled, at least not at any of the students. “For many years, I have waited for someone like you to come along, to remind me of the things that truly matter.” He said. 

Riku gulped. “And what is that?” He asked. The spirit sighed. “To right my wrongs. There was something I never did when I was alive, something I should have done. And now I ask you to help me so that I may finally move on. So, do you think you could pass on a message?” He asked. 

Riku nodded. “Of course. But to whom? And what is the message?” He asked. Tsukumo’s father looked straight at Riku then. “To my worthless son.” He said. Riku frowned. That was the part about the dead man’s personality that Riku couldn’t accept. Sure, Tsukumo Ryou wasn’t his favourite person in this world, but he deserved better than a parent who treated him like he had no value or reason to be there. 

Still, Riku would pass on whatever message the spirit had for Tsukumo, no matter what it was. Otherwise, the spirit might be stuck here for the rest of time, and that seemed like too cruel of a punishment for being a horrible father. Especially since he had already been stuck here alone for almost a hundred years. “What do you want me to tell him?” Riku asked then, showing that he was still willing to carry on his final message. 

“Tell him…” The spirit started, but then he trailed off, and he looked really apologetic. He looked up at Riku then, his eyes filled with regret, and kept going. “Tell him that I am sorry for everything I put him through. Tell him that I was the worthless one, in the end.” He said, and then, without another word, he vanished. 

Riku blinked, his eyes wide, at the spot where the spirit had stood. He hadn’t really known what message he was meant to deliver, but that was more heartfelt than he had thought the old man capable of. However, the spirit wasn’t completely gone yet, for soon Riku could hear his voice echoing throughout the room, even though his physical form was gone. “Give this to Ryou! It is my parting gift to him!” It said. 

And just as the spirit said that, a ring appeared on the ground in front of Riku’s feet. Riku bent down to pick it up. It was fairly simple, a golden ring with a round, black rock in it. Riku closed his fist around it and then put it in his pocket. Now he just had to remember to give this to Tsukumo, another reason why Riku needed to get out of this room alive. 

And then, for one final time, Riku heard the echoey voice of Tsukumo’s father. “Bevare Senkhara! She means you harm!” He called out in warning, making Riku frown. He still had not found out why Senkhara needed the mask, but he was willing to bet that that was what the spirit’s warnings were about. “Farewell, Chosen One!” The spirits voice said, and then it vanished, never to be heard again. 

It had taken way longer than either of them would have liked, but finally Gaku and Ryuu had made it all the way to the farmhouse where Kujou Takamasa had been staying. As they left that morning, they started the whole thing off by missing the bus and having to wait an hour for the next one. Then they got caught up making a plan and missed their stop. When they did get off, they had gone three stops too far. 

It had been too long to walk, so they had crossed the road and waited a while for the return bus to arrive. When they finally managed to get off on the right bus stop, Gaku and Ryuu both realized that they had forgotten the way. They knew the general direction they needed to go in, but that was it really. But since they had already come all that way, they didn’t want to back out now. 

It had taken a little over an hour of walking, but they had finally managed to reach the familiar farmhouse. The sole consolation was that the place seemed to be empty when they got there. Kujou’s car was still gone, so he must still be at the school, or at least somewhere else. This meant that they could search the place easier. 

“So, where do we start looking?” Gaku asked. Ryuu sighed and rubbed the back of his head in annoyance. “How would I know? This was all your idea… Where do you keep a gem anyway? He probably wouldn’t leave it out… Maybe he has it in a box or something?” He suggested. 

Gaku nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe we should just start looking… Do we start with the barn? The outhouse? Or maybe the main villa?” He asked. “Well, the barn is where we got stuck with Tsumugi, Iori-kun and Tamaki-kun last time… We looked through it then and didn’t find anything.” Ryuu pointed out. “So, maybe we should start with the outhouse or the villa?” He then suggested. 

Gaku nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. Maybe we could split up and search one place each? We can cover more ground that way.” He suggested. However, Ryuu did not seem very keen on that idea, as he frowned and shook his head. “I don’t know… If Kujou-san returns, we need to leave quickly. I don’t want to have to waste time trying to find you because we didn’t stay together.” He said. 

Gaku sighed. “Fine, let’s stick together then. But do we check the villa or the outhouse first?” He asked. “The outhouse maybe?” Ryuu suggested and looked over at the small wooden building. “I mean, it’s a lot smaller so it won’t take as long.” He pointed out. Gaku nodded. “Sounds good, let’s check it out.” He said. 

The outhouse was a small, white, wooden building right next to the barn. It was one story tall and with black tile roof. On the side of it there was some firewood stacked under a roof. The building itself seemed to have three separate doors leading inside, probably to three smaller storages. However, upon trying them all, only the one closest to the wall with the firewood was unlocked. 

Since it was the only open one, the room at the end was the first one Gaku and Ryuu checked. The room was rectangular, about two meters wide and three meters long. It appeared to be a garage or storage for bikes. They took a quick look, but it didn’t take them long to realize that the only things in there were three bikes, one of which was broken, a loose wheel, and a pump. 

Closing the door to the bikeshed, Gaku turned to face the two locked doors. “Well, should we try to get one of those doors open?” He asked. Ryuu frowned. “How?” He asked. Gaku shrugged. “Not sure. But hey, the room furthest to the other side has a window! Maybe we can look inside and see if it looks like that room is worth searching?” He suggested. 

Ryuu nodded, looking relieved that they wouldn’t be breaking any doors down, at least not yet. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” He said. And so, the two friends made their way to the window and started giving the room inside a once-over. It was a bit hard to see as the glass was pretty dirty, also the window was covered by metal bars that obstructed the view. Still, they were able to grasp a few details. 

The room looked kind of like an office, which they hadn’t expected to find in an outhouse. It was about the same size as the last room, perhaps a bit wider, but the same length. Along one of the walls stood a wooden desk and in front of that there was a chair. There was a floor lamp in one corner and a cardboard box in another. There was also a light blue carpet on the floor. 

However. there was one more thing inside that really caught their attention. On top of the desk there was a fairly small metal safe. Gaku turned to Ryuu. “A safe seems like a pretty good place for a gem, right?” He asked, a knowing smirk on his lips. 

Ryuu sighed. “I guess… Does that mean we have to break in?” He asked in concern. Gaku started grinning. “We could always try picking the lock?” He suggested. Ryuu rolled his eyes in exasperation at him. “Just because Tenn could do that, it doesn’t mean you can too.” He said. Gaku only scoffed and got to work. “Come on, how hard can it be?” He asked. 

As it turns out, it could be very hard. It took a little over twenty minutes for Gaku to get the door open and it involved a lot of swearing and kicking the door and the ground in frustration. But as he finally got the door open, Gaku grinned in delight at Ryuu. “Told you I could do it!” He said proudly. 

Ryuu sighed but couldn’t help but smile fondly at his friend. “Yeah, yeah, congratulations. Can we enter now? I wanna hurry up and get out of this place, we’ve already been here too long.” He said. 

Gaku nodded, and so they entered. They didn’t even bother with anything else in the room, they went straight for the safe. “So, do you know how to crack a safe as well?” Ryuu asked jokingly. Gaku frowned. “Well, no…” He admitted. But then he spotted an empty water glass on the other end of the desk. “But don’t they use this in the movies? It’s worth a shot, right?” He asked. 

Ryuu sighed but nodded for Gaku to go ahead. However, it turned out that Gaku had more luck with cracking safes than he had with picking locks, as only ten minutes later, the door to the safe opened up. 

“Oh my god, you actually did it!” Ryuu exclaimed happily. Gaku smiled back. “I did…! Holy crap, I actually did get it open!” He said. Ryuu laughed then. “I like how surprised you are yourself.” He said. “Shut up!” Gaku said and shoved Ryuu away, but he was still wearing that playful smile, 

Now that the safe was open, Gaku and Ryuu were quick to start checking its content. There were two shelves inside, and on the lower one there was nothing but a small painting and a pouch containing four old silver coins. On the upper shelf there was some sort of ceramic vessel, a necklace, a letter opener, and finally, a much smaller box, kind of like a jewelry box. 

Gaku grabbed it and quickly looked inside. Inside the small box was a very familiar pink gemstone. “Ryuu… we actually found it…!” He said, smiling triumphantly at his friend. Ryuu grinned back. “That’s our gem! We did it!” He exclaimed happily. 

However, their happiness was short lived, as before they could fully process what had happened the door to the room slammed shut. They could even hear the lock turning. “Shit!” Gaku exclaimed and ran over to the door. As he pulled on it he found that it was indeed locked. 

Ryuu went over to the window instead. He didn’t see whoever had locked them inside, but he already had a hunch. Because some ten meters away stood the same car they had spotted that morning. The car that belonged to Kujou Takamasa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now Gaku and Ryuu are also stuck! Will they be able to escape? And will Tenn be able to beat the game and get Riku and Sougo back? Well, come back on Saturday to find out what happens next, because that's when I'll be back with the next chapter! Only 4 chapters to go now, we're really getting close to the end! Thank you for reading this update, and also for leaving kudos and comments <3


	55. Chapter 55

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time for Tenn to play the game has finally come. Will he be able to beat it and get Riku and Sougo back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm back again with a new chapter! Please, enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on my Twitter: @EFagerhag

The time to play the game had finally come. Tonight was the deadline, but the three remaining members of Sibuna, as well as Tenn, were determined to make this the final round of Senet they needed to play. They intended to win.

As soon as Nagi had gotten out of school that afternoon, the others had told him that Tenn thought he had figured out the statues and wanted to play as soon as possible. Nagi, who wanted to get his friends back just as much as everyone else, of course had no objections to this. And so, the four of them started making their way towards the library. 

Since they had gotten the spare amulet back, they could have technically used that and gone through the entrance in the cellar, but the library was closer to the school. Also, that meant there was less tunnel to go through once they had entered. And the final reason was that going via the library entrance meant that they wouldn’t have to break open the door to the cellar. Since Riku was still stuck in that room, they couldn’t use the secret passage from the kitchen, after all. 

When they got to the library, Iori had made a quick excuse to Akihiko, telling him there was someone outside who was looking for him. Then the four boys had opened the hatch and gone inside. Tamaki, the last one inside, closed the hatch at the last moment just before Akihiko returned, looking puzzled. 

They ignored the curator and instead followed the tunnel. Nagi, Iori and Tamaki had forgotten that this was the first time Tenn had seen the tunnels, and were reminded of it when he almost went the wrong way in the room with the reflectors task. Tenn was too busy looking around in awe, finding it hard to believe that all of this was hidden right under the House of Anubis. 

When they finally reached the room with the senet game, the mood turned more serious. “It’s finally time to do it, isn’t it?” Tenn asked, gulping down his nerves. Iori nodded. “Yeah. You’re supposed to sit on the seat and oversee the game from there. We are your pawns and you have to move us four steps every round, but you can decide for yourself who takes how many steps.” He explained. 

Tenn nodded. “I know, and we win as long as I get at least one of you across to the other side, right?” He asked. Iori hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, but the goal is to get all three of us across.” He said. Again, Tenn nodded. “I know, I just wanted to make sure that if I made a mistake, we could continue the game anyway and wouldn’t have to start over.” He said. 

“Well, I suppose that is how it works. We never tried doing that because we were all quite shaken up after we lost someone. But the actual game works that way, so I suppose this should too.” Nagi answered then. “Okay, great.” Tenn said. “Don’t worry though, ideally I’ll be able to get all three of you across.” He said. 

Tamaki smiled and patted Tenn’s back. “You got this!” He said and then went to stand over by the board. Nagi and Iori nodded and then joined Tamaki. Tenn took a deep breath and then climbed up onto the chair. As he looked out over the board in front of him, Tenn took a moment to just collect all of his thoughts and go over his strategy in his head one last time. 

“Okay.” Tenn declared. “Let’s start this game.” He said. Iori, Tamaki and Nagi all nodded, and then Tenn made the first move, having them all step out onto the board. The game was now afoot. 

As they started playing the game, everything seemed to be going well. They could tell early on that Tenn had a slightly different strategy than Iori had, he was a bit more aggressive and they found themselves moving forward faster than they had when Iori had played. Nagi had had to step on two danger squares, Iori on one, and Tamaki on zero so far, but they had all been safe. 

To further prove that it was going well, Tenn had shared his theory on where each guard would point each round one of them landed on a danger square, and so far he had been right every time. That was quite reassuring for the others who played. Iori had never had a clear idea of where they would point, just the general direction, and had made his guesses from that. He hated to admit it, but he was mildly impressed. 

Still, no one missed how the statue farthest back and in the very center unnerved Tenn. He played the game hoping they could avoid him all together, but it soon became clear that that would not be possible. Tenn had been watching the way that statue moved every round, trying to figure it out, but he still wasn’t completely sure. 

But they kept going, and the farther they got across the board, the slower Tenn moved them ahead. However, it didn’t seem like he did that because he was unsure, it seemed to deliberately be part of his strategy. When they were about two thirds across, was when the first conflict occurred. 

“Okay, I’m going to need Izumi Iori to take one step to the left. Rokuya Nagi, you take one step forward, now I know that’s a danger square, but I think that statue will point at the square one step to your left and up.” Tenn instructed, though he hesitated a little bit. He shook his head, deciding that this was the right move. 

Then Tenn turned to Tamaki. “And finally, Yotsuba Tamaki, I need you to take two steps to your left.” He said. Tamaki’s eyes widened and he turned to Tenn in shock. “But that’s a danger square near the unpredictable one! Didn’t you say you hadn’t figured that one out yet?!” He asked. 

Tenn looked a bit hesitant. “I know, but I have been watching it all this time and I think I’ve got it mostly figured out. I really think it should be safe.” He said. “That’s what Iorin said before we lost Rikkun and Sou-chan! What if it takes me?” He asked. 

Tenn sighed. “If it does take you, then you’ll fall down a hole, join Riku and Osaka Sougo, and will have to wait in the room for me to finish the game with Rokuya Nagi and Izumi Iori. If that happens, we’ll get you out really soon. But I honestly don’t think that will happen, so please, trust me on this.” He said. 

But Tamaki still hesitated, he looked really scared to step in front of the unpredictable statue. Iori, who felt bad for his friend, then came up with an alternate solution. “How about this, if Yotsuba-san instead takes a step back, and then to the left, he’ll be on the same square as Rokuya-san. Then you can keep going from there. You said that one should be safe, right?” He suggested. 

Tamaki nodded enthusiastically at that, but Tenn seemed hesitant. “Yes, I think Rokuya Nagi’s square will be safe, but I’d rather have them at different squares. There is no way to be sure if a danger square is safe or not, I’m just applying my own theory. Besides, we need to be moving forward, not back. So no, I don’t think that’s a better move.” He said. 

Iori frowned. “But then we’ll avoid the unpredictable one. Isn’t that safer? It’s better to take this slow and safe than to rush through it.” He said. “I’m not rushing!” Tenn yelled. “You were the ones who asked for my help because you said you weren’t aggressive enough! Well, this is me being aggressive, so play along with it! You failed, I haven’t so far.” He argued back. 

“Is that it?” Iori asked. “You’re opposed to that move just because I suggested it? Would you have gone along with it if Rokuya-san suggested it?” He asked. Tenn sighed. “No, it's because it’s not the smart move to make in this situation. Yes, it’s important to be safe, but we also need to advance. I can’t move you back because there is no other safe bet! Besides, we’re going to have to land next to the unpredictable one sooner or later, so if you are going to argue every time, then we will never win!” He said. 

Tenn turned to Tamaki then. “Now, Yotsuba Tamaki, do the move I first told you.” He said. “No!” Iori exclaimed. “Yotsuba-san, it’s not safe. Go to Nagi’s square.” He said. Tamaki stood and looked between Iori and Tenn, indecision clearly written all over his face. 

Tamaki closed his eyes and brazed himself then. “I’m sorry Tenten, but I trust Iorin.” He said, and then stepped to the back and left, landing on the same danger square as Nagi. They all watched in anticipation as the statues started spinning, and soon they came to a stop. But things didn’t happen exactly as Tenn had predicted. The unpredictable statue really did point away from the square Tamaki would have landed on, so that move would have been safe, just like he said. However, the square Nagi and Tamaki had squeezed together on turned out to not be so safe as he had thought. 

The guard statue pointed right at them, and in a single moment, a hole opened up and both Tamaki and Nagi fell down. “No!” Both Tenn and Iori yelled out, but they could do nothing but watch as the hole closed again and the screams of their friends died down. 

For a minute, either boy was too shocked to say anything. Tenn was the first to recover and turned to Iori, his face filled with anger. “What is the point of asking for my help if you are not going to listen to me?!” He asked. 

That snapped Iori out of his stupor and he turned to Tenn, the same anger reflected on his own face. “Well, who knows what would have happened if we did your move?! Besides, you said that square would be safe!” He argued. 

“I said I thought it would be safe, but that’s all it was! It was a stupid theory! And maybe they move differently if two people are on the same square, I wouldn’t know because it never happened before! Or maybe I was just wrong, but I never promised, 100%, that it would be safe! And worst case scenario if we did my old move, we would have lost one of them. But I would have still had two players to use instead of one!” Tenn replied. 

Iori scoffed. “You always have to prove me wrong, don’t you?! Ever since you found out that I was dating your brother, you have done nothing but antagonize me!” He yelled back. Tenn rolled his eyes. “I will admit that I was being and arse and that maybe I was a bit out of line, but that has nothing to do with what just happened! Don’t try to make Riku the reason why this isn’t working! Because at least I’m not a coward, like you!” Tenn insulted. 

Iori’s eyes widened, but for once he didn’t argue. He averted his gaze and focused on breathing so that he could calm down. “Are you done now? If so, we need to continue the game. It will be more difficult if we have to start over later, so let’s just finish it now.” He said. 

Tenn scoffed but went back to the seat. It seemed like they both had needed to let out some steam, and the yelling had done exactly that. They both started to calm down. Tenn nodded and turned to Iori. “Fine, let’s finish this. But this time, you will follow my lead. I’m playing this game, not you. You asked me to do this, so now you’ll have to trust me.” He said. Iori grumpily nodded, and so they continued the game. 

Tenn moved Iori four squares across the board every round. They didn’t say anything to one another other than the instructions from Tenn. It went okay, though it moved pretty slow since Iori had to make moves for four people. Finally, they were one row away having crossed the entire board. There was only one problem, every square ahead of Iori was a danger square near the unpredictable statue. 

Iori had already moved three steps and though it was unsaid, Iori could tell that Tenn wanted him to take a final step forward next. If that move was safe, they had won the game. If it wasn’t, Iori would fall as well, and then all hope would be lost. Everything depended on this one final move. 

Because Tenn hadn’t said anything, Iori turned to him. What he saw took him aback, Tenn looked panicked, as if he was trying to work out a different route. “Maybe…” Tenn started. “Maybe I can move you around… It will take a while, but then we can avoid the unpredictable one.” He said. 

Iori shook his head. “That would take too long, and besides, it would land me on more danger squares, which means a bigger chance of me falling.” He argues. Tenn shook his head. “But I can predict those! This one… It could be completely random for all I know! Who am I fooling? I can’t figure this game out! I’m starting to think nobody can! I’m going to mess up everything!” He said. 

Iori hesitated, he had never seen Tenn come so undone, and it was honestly a bit disconcerting. The other boy was always so confident, and Iori didn’t realize that was something he had depended on so much while playing this game. Still, they needed to win, and in order for that to happen, Tenn needed to pull himself together. 

“Look at me.” Iori said, making Tenn look up. “Do you think that this square, right in front of me, is the safest one to land on this round?” Iori asked. Tenn hesitated, then nodded. “But I don’t know for sure! Like I said, it could be completely random!” He said. 

Iori nodded, and then he made up his mind. “Well, you were the one who said it. I asked you to help us, so now I need to trust you. And that is what I intend to do.” He said. And then, using all of his conviction, Iori stepped onto the danger square before him and waited. 

Tenn’s eyes widened in shock, of all the people, he had never expected to hear those words from Iori. He also hadn’t expected them to actually reassure him. Still, he leaped out of his chair as the statues started spinning, anxious for what would happen next. Then, the statues stopped… and the unpredictable one pointed right at the square to the left of Iori. 

With a shuddering breath, Iori stepped onto the other side of the board and started panting with the relief. Tenn almost whimpered, he was so happy it had worked. Then there was a sound and five holes opened up in the board, but it was beneath all the statues, making them fall down, leaving the board empty. With a triumphant smile, Tenn also crossed the board, now free from dangers. On the other side, Iori was grinning at him. “You did it! You actually beat the game!” He said. 

Tenn laughed, and he actually sounded bashful. “Well, I couldn’t have done it without you. That last move, it took a lot of guts to do.” He said. Then, with a slight blush on his face and an averted gaze, Tenn opened his mouth again. “Thanks…” He mumbled out. 

Iori nodded and tried to contain the small smile that tried to form on his lips. "Well, someone had to trust you on that last move, and it wasn't going to be you." He said, making Tenn chuckle. Iori then turned to the mask. “So, we beat the game, we should be able to get the others back now.” He said. Tenn nodded and joined Iori in trying to find a way to free the others. 

They walked up to the mask and saw something they hadn’t seen before. From the wall, a small shelf protruded, and on it lay two keys. Something was written beneath each key, one said ‘Fallen Friends’ and the other said ‘The Golden Price’. Smiling, they went to pick up one key each. Tenn took the one that was clearly intended for the mask, but as Iori went to pick up the other, he frowned when he found it stuck to the shelf. 

“I can’t get it off.” He said. Tenn looked over. “Really? I could pick mine right up.” He said. Iori looked over at the key in Tenn’s hand and then had an idea. “Could you put that key back for a second? I want to try something.” He said. Tenn didn’t really understand, but he did as he was told. 

Once the other key was back in place, Iori could easily pick up the key for their fallen friends. However, now Tenn was struggling to get the other key up off the shelf. “It’s a choice.” Iori said. “We have to pick the mask or our friends. We can’t have them both.” He said. 

Tenn frowned. “But didn’t you say something about a curse if you didn’t get that mask to that spirit lady?” He asked. Iori nodded. “Yes, but none of that will matter if we can’t get the others out. Maybe there is a different way to get the mask, Watanabe Ritsu always had backups. Let’s take the key for ‘Fallen Friends’.” He said. 

Tenn had no objections, and so they made their choice. When they did, the shelf retreated into the wall, making the other key disappear. Instead, a new door opened up along the left wall. Iori and Tenn took one look at one another and then quickly started making their way through it. 

The passage went down and forward, and soon they reached a big, metal door. This had to be it. Iori brought up the key and unlocked the door. It was only a matter of seconds once he had pushed the door open before Iori found himself with an armful of redheaded boy. Riku had immediately thrown himself at Iori, so happy to finally be reunited. 

Iori laughed and buried his face in Riku’s neck. The other boy smelled a bit, surely from being locked in a room with no change and no way to wash up for three days, but Iori couldn’t care less. He was finally back in his arms. “You did it.” Riku said. Iori nodded. “I promised we would get you back.” He said. 

Riku laughed, pulled away slightly only to lean back in and plant his lips on top of Iori’s. Iori clung onto Riku for dear life as they kissed, so happy that they were back together again and that they were both okay. When they pulled apart, Iori remembered who must surely be watching them. 

Iori cleared his throat. “Actually, I don’t know how much you know, but this wouldn’t have been possible without your brother.” He said, gesturing to Tenn, who had taken a step back. “He was the one who beat the game.” Iori added. 

Riku smiled understandingly. “Yeah, Nagi and Tamaki explained that you got him to help. I understand, and I’m not angry.” He said. Then, Riku went over to Tenn and gave his brother a hug. “Thank you, Tenn-nii! Thank you for coming for me.” He said. Tenn nodded and returned the embrace. “Of course I did.” He said. 

While the twins had their moment, Iori went over to check on his other friends. Tamaki had bumped his head a bit, but otherwise they all seemed fine. Sougo especially, was relieved to see them, since he had been stuck there for much longer than Nagi and Tamaki. 

As the six of them started making their way back the tunnels, Iori and Riku holding hands all the while, Iori and Tenn explained about the two keys and the choice they had to make. Riku looked a bit concerned but ultimately nodded and agreed that they had made the right choice. He too believed that Ritsu would have a backup way to get to the mask, and he was determined to find it and end this once and for all. 

Tsukumo was walking around Anubis House, searching for something, or rather someone. The last few days had been spent practicing the game to get back into it, and now he finally started feeling ready for the real thing. That was why he was currently trying to find Vera and tell her that they should soon go back into the tunnels to play the game. 

Tsukumo had first gone downstairs to check the living room, where she sometimes sat reading, and the kitchen. When he didn’t find her, Tsukumo frowned, he thought she would have started dinner by now. Maybe she was busy… If so, should Tsukumo offer to help? But no, he was an awful cook. 

Deciding to let that issue go for now, Tsukumo headed over to the window so that he could see if her car was still there. And he immediately noticed Ver’s car in the driveway, which meant that she hadn’t left the house, or at least not left the campus because she would have taken her car. 

Instead, Tsukumo decided to go back upstairs. Maybe Vera was in her bedroom, so that is where Tsukumo decided to check next. On the way there, he was on the lookout, but alas, he did not spot her anywhere. So, once he got to the attic and had ascended the stairs, he carefully knocked on the housemother’s door. “Vera, darling, are you in there?” He asked. 

Tsukumo didn’t receive any reply, even though he waited. Soon, he tried a second time to knock and call out to her, but again he was left without a reply. Memories started flooding back, memories of that awful moment when he had discovered Vera affected by the curse, completely frozen in her armchair. Tsukumo was a bit frightened something similar had happened again, even though he didn’t believe that they had done something to warrant punishment from the spirit. But the unease was enough to make him enter Vera’s room anyway. 

“Vera?” Tsukumo called out as he entered. Once again, no reply. As soon as he was inside and had closed the door behind him, Tsukumo gave the room a quick once-over. He couldn’t see Vera anywhere, and he supposed she would have no reason to hide. Her bed was made and everything around the room looked neat. 

Just to be safe, Tsukumo checked the armchair, which was still angled away from the door, but was relieved when he found it empty. He could finally relax now that he knew that at very least Vera wasn’t frozen in that chair like last time. That would have been quite hard on him, and not to mention if Vera could really handle it. 

Tsukumo then realized that he was actually trespassing right now, and since Vera was nowhere to be seen, he should probably leave the room. Or at least that had been his plan until the phone on the desk started ringing. Tsukumo immediately recognized the phone, and the ringtone, as Vera’s. 

Tsukumo didn’t mean to snoop, he really didn’t. But all of a sudden he was reminded of that strange phone call Vera had received the other day. Maybe he could just see who was calling her. It was probably nothing, but it could be the mystery person who seemed like he might be putting pressure on Vera about something. 

So, Tsukumo checked the caller ID to see who was calling. The screen read ‘The Collector’, and Tsukumo frowned. _‘Who is that?’_ He thought to himself. In the end, his curiosity won over, and he actually answered the call, just to see who it was. 

Tsukumo held the phone up but said nothing, since that would give him away. When it became clear for whoever had called that “Vera” wasn’t going to have the first word, the person on the other end decided to speak. “Hello? Vera, can you hear me?” The voice, a man’s voice, said. 

Tsukumo’s eyes widened and the phone slipped out of his grip. It hit the floor with a dunce, snapping Tsukumo out of it. He quickly picked it back up and ended the call. He didn’t need to listen anymore, he would never forget that voice. Vera had been talking to Kujou Takamasa. 

Tsukumo could feel anger and betrayal welling up inside him. He couldn’t believe this. Why would Vera be talking to him? Had she been doing that all along? If so, was that why she was after the mask? For him? And Tsukumo had been stupid enough to lead her right to it… He had helped her, he had cared for her, he had been willing to give up if it meant keeping her safe… All so that she could go and stab him in the back for Kujou Takamasa of all people. 

Suddenly, standing around Vera’s room only made him angry, and so Tsukumo left, slamming the door behind him. He returned to his office, locked the door and shut the blinds. He didn’t want to see Vera anymore, if he did, he wasn’t sure what he would do. For now, he needed to collect his thoughts, then he would have to find and talk to Vera. However, after a betrayal like this, Tsukumo didn’t think there was anything Vera could say to make him forgive her…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, everyone's back together! But how will things go now that they had to give up the mask to get them back? And Tsukumo finally learned the truth about Vera! What will happen next? Find out on Monday, which is when I'll post the next chapter. I can't believe there's only three chapters left to go now! In exactly one week I'll be posting the final chapter! Isn't that crazy? Anyway, thank you so muc for reading and supporting this story! <3


	56. Chapter 56

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After coming back from beating the game, what will Senkhara think about their decision to save Riku rather than to get the mask? And Tenn notices that Gaku and Ryuu are missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back with a new chapter! We're entering the final stretch with this one, which is really exciting! Please enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

By the time Sibuna returned to the house, it was just time for dinner. Riku and Sougo had wanted to take a shower, but they were also hungry. In the end, they had prioritized dinner. Food had never tasted so good to Riku, and he had no doubt that it was all thanks to the last three days when he had lived off of fruits, sandwiches and vending machine snacks.

The only strange thing was that Gaku and Ryuu hadn’t shown up for dinner, but all of Sibuna, including Tenn were still preoccupied with the game, the quest and having just reunited to really care. Also, it marked the first dinner where Iori and Tenn could talk to each other without angry glares or passive aggressive comments. 

Once dinner was done, Riku headed upstairs to take a shower, he still really smelled after all. The others would be waiting for him and Sougo, who would use the downstairs bathroom to shower, so that they could discuss what to do next. Just like the food, the shower felt a lot nicer than Riku remembered, though he guessed that was once again because he hadn’t had access to running water while locked in that room. 

Soon, Riku got out of the shower and started towelling off. However, when he looked up in the mirror, he startled and turned around. Behind him stood Senkhara. Riku gulped and instinctively wrapped his towell tighter around himself. 

Senkhara sneered at him. “The Chosen One has returned, your friends kept their promise. But you do so without the mask…” She said, clearly displeased with this detail. “I know, but we’ll get it for you! I promise! We just need a little more time!” Riku exclaimed, he needed to convince Senkhara to give them some time to figure out how to get the mask. 

Senkhara scoffed. “More time? You always ask for more time, but my patience is running thin! I cannot continue to grant you more time forever!” She yelled and Riku suddenly felt worried. It was still only eight in the evening, so the old curfew of midnight might still stand. But he really didn’t think they could figure something out in four hours. 

He had hoped maybe she would give them another week, or at least three more days. Senkhara continued. “Your friends had the key to the mask, and they discarded it! They could have used it and given me the mask!” She said. Riku gulped. “They only did it in order to rescue me! If they had taken the key to the mask, I would have died down in that room, along with my friends!” He argued. 

“The mask is unique!” Senkhara declared, almost as if she was offended by Riku’s argument. “The Chosen One is not. Just as Watanabe Sara was the Chosen One before you, there will be more Chosen Ones to come. The holy bloodline does not end with you. All I would have to do is wait for the next one to appear.” She said. 

Riku didn’t know what to say, but he doubted there was anything he could say to her, Senkhara had already made up her mind on what mercy should be granted them. “My patience has run dry with you. The old one will die first, at midnight tomorrow.” Senkhara declared. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “No! No, please! We will-” He started, but Senkhara interrupted him. “And who shall die next? Perhaps the pretty foreign boy? Or the silly one? Or maybe the calm one?” She asked, then smirked and stared right into Riku’s eyes. “Or perhaps your precious lover?” She asked and then broke out laughing. 

Riku could feel tears running down his face and shook his head repeatedly, muttering weak ‘No’s under his breath. He tried to collect himself, but even when he spoke, his voice came out weak and shaky. “If you hurt any of them-” He started. 

Senkhara stopped laughing, her face now dead serious. “Then bring me the mask before midnight tomorrow! This is your final chance, no more extensions, no more do-overs, this is it! If you fail, I will keep my promise and claim all of your lives, one by one. And believe me, it will not be pleasant.” She declared, and then she vanished. 

Riku was left standing there, on the floor of the bathroom, blinking away tears. She had given them more time, but it wasn’t much. Riku wasn’t sure if it was going to be enough. Tomorrow night at midnight, if they didn’t finish this by then, they were all dead. 

Tenn had a lot of thoughts swirling around in his head. First of all, he was still struggling to take in everything that had happened lately, and he still hadn’t quite processed the fact that he had actually beaten that game. Then there was also the fact that he wasn’t quite sure what to do now. He had helped get Riku and his friends back, but did they expect him to keep helping them? Did they even want his help? Tenn wasn’t sure what they were thinking, but he wanted to help, if only to assure that Riku would be safe. 

And finally, like the cherry on top of the mess that was his life lately, he couldn’t find Gaku and Ryuu. Since everything had gotten so crazy, Tenn found himself wanting the normalcy of just hanging out with his friends, if only for a couple of minutes. But that didn’t go as he planned, considering they were nowhere to be seen around the house. It was too late for them to be at school, so had they left somewhere? Last time he had seen them was that morning, when he left for school ahead of them. 

Tenn sighed, if they had left the house for the night, there wasn’t much he could do about it. But there was just something that seemed a bit strange. Tenn couldn’t quite let it go, so he decided that he should ask someone else who might know something about his friends’ whereabouts. 

Tenn walked up to the second floor, and he would need to go there either way if he wanted to join Riku and his friends. But he didn’t go to Riku and Nagi’s room, instead he stopped outside the room that belonged to Yamato, Mitsuki and Sougo. Yamato and Mitsuki were in the same grade as Gaku and Ryuu, so if anyone had seen them, it would be those two. 

Tenn knocked on the door and waited until he was called in. When he entered, he wasn’t all that surprised to only see the two third years in there, since Sougo was bound to either still be in the shower, or in the room next door. “Well, this is a rare occurance… What brings you here?” Yamato asked once he spotted Tenn. 

Tenn shrugged. “It wasn’t anything important, I just wondered if you knew where Gaku and Ryuu are? I haven’t seen them since this morning, and since they skipped dinner and tomorrow is a Sunday, I wondered if they had left for the night or something…” He explained. 

Yamato and Mitsuki looked at one another, shook their heads and frowned. Then Mitsuki turned to Tenn with an apologetic smile today. “Sorry, but I have no idea. I was actually getting a bit worried myself, as they weren’t in school at all today.” He said. 

Now that didn’t make any sense, neither of Tenn’s friends were the type to skip school. “Not at all? Like, they never came?” He asked. Mitsuki and Yamato both nodded. “Nope, they never showed. Have you tried calling them?” Mitsuki asked. 

Tenn shook his head. “No, I’ve been a bit busy today, so I just now got time to think about it. Thanks for your info though, I’ll try calling.” He said. “No problem.” Mitsuki said. “Let us know if you figure out where they are, will you?” Yamato called out after Tenn as he left. 

Once Tenn was out of the room, he actually went back to his own as opposed to head over to Riku’s. There were two reasons for this, number one, he wanted to talk in private, and number two was that he had forgotten to bring his phone with him upstairs. When he got to his room and picked up the phone, he realized that he hadn’t checked it all day, and he actually had a text from Ryuu that he had received that morning. 

Tenn opened the message and read it out loud to himself. “Hey, just thought we should let you know that we saw your old adoptive father here at campus, so be careful, okay? Also, Gaku wanted to go look for the gem, I don’t know when we’ll be back, but it shouldn’t take too long.” 

Tenn stared at the message for a minute, then cursed. “Damnit! If they went for the gem, that means they went to Kujou-san’s place… And if they’re not back yet, then… Shit, what if something happened?” He mumbled to himself. 

He wasn’t very optimistic, but Tenn figured he should try and call them. He started with Gaku, only to hear his familiar ringtone coming from his desk. Then Tenn recalled that Gaku usually left his phone at home during the school day, so that made sense. Next, Tenn tried Ryuu, but that call went straight to voicemail. Maybe he had run out of battery or turned his phone off, or, worst case scenario, Kujou had taken it. 

Tenn wasn’t sure what to do, he could leave for the farmhouse now, but he doubted the buses ran this late, and it had started to rain. Tenn didn’t like to admit it, but if Kujou had gotten to Gaku and Ryuu, he would need help to get them back. And that is why he, with determined steps, started making his way back upstairs to seek help from Riku and his friends. 

Tamaki, Iori and Nagi had waited patiently in Nagi’s bedroom for the rest of them to get there, though after everything that had happened it was to be expected that they needed to take some time to process. Sougo was the first one to show up, having finished his shower. 

They hadn’t talked to Tenn, and weren’t sure whether he would show up at all. Maybe he would want to help now that he knew what was going on, or maybe he didn’t want anything to do with it anymore. On one hand, he would be helping Riku, but on the other, he could escape potentially being cursed as well by quitting. 

The next person to arrive was Riku, but he looked a lot worse for the wear than Sougo did. His hair still wasn’t fully dried and his eyes were a bit red, almost as if he had been crying. “Guys, I have some bad news. Or are they good? I think they’re mostly bad, or maybe even only bad…” He said. 

But before Riku could elaborate, the door swung open again and Tenn entered, looking almost as shaken up as Riku did. “Sorry if this is a bad timing, but I need your guys’ help. I just found out something really bad.” He said. 

The other four members of Sibuna looked between the twins, then motioned for them both to come in and talk. Riku promptly sat down next to Iori on his own bed and grabbed his hand in comfort. Tenn followed suit and sat down next to Riku. “Okay, so you both have bad news. Who wants to go first?” Tamaki asked, sounding more cheerful than he probably should have, but he wanted to try and keep their spirits up. 

Riku and Tenn looked at one another, then Tenn motioned for Riku to go ahead and start. Riku nodded and turned to the others. “I met Senkhara, in the bathroom when I came out of the shower.” He said. immediately, they all tensed up. “What did she say?” Sougo asked. 

“The good news is that she did give us more time to find a way to get the mask, the bad news is that she gave us very little time to do so. The deadline is tomorrow at midnight, so we just have a little over 24 hours. And she was very clear that this is our last chance, if we don’t give that mask to her before the end of tomorrow, then she will kill all of us, starting with Gran.” Riku explained. 

For the next few seconds, they were all silent, trying to take this new information in. Iori was the one who spoke next. “That’s very little time…” He commented, then he shook his head and forced a smile on his face. “But that doesn’t mean we can give up. We’ll find a way, at the very least we’ll keep on trying until the second it becomes midnight tomorrow.” He added. 

Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo nodded. “Yeah, we’ve been able to work everything out in the past, so I’m sure we can do this too!” Tamaki said enthusiastically. Nagi nodded. “Yes, maybe there is a way to open that compartment without the key. Or maybe there is a different key!” He suggested. 

It was then that Sougo seemed to recall something. “Wait a minute, do you guys remember when we were looking for the rules to senet? We searched the library because Tsumugi had that dream about the dollhouse. We always assumed it was about the game, but what she saw was a picture of a key, it had nothing to do with the game.” He said. 

Iori seemed to understand what Sougo was getting at. “So, you think there might be a spare key to the mask hidden somewhere in the library?” He asked. Sougo nodded. “You have to admit that it is possible. Also, it’s a place to start looking, is it not?” He asked. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “I think it’s a good idea. Let’s go to the library first thing in the morning.” He said. Iori agreed with Riku. “Yeah, and let’s make sure to wake up early so that we can leave without alerting Tsumugi or Vera. Tomorrow is the dinner celebrating a successful closure of the Treasures of Egypt exhibit. If they catch us, they’ll just make us help with the preparations, and we don’t have time for that.” Iori said. 

Riku nodded. “Sounds good. But now that that is decided, Tenn-nii, what were you going to say?” He asked and turned to his brother. Tenn looked almost startled when Riku addressed him, it had been quite sudden after all. “Oh, right, I had news as well…” He said, trying to collect himself. 

Once Tenn had gathered his thoughts, he told them everything. “I think something happened to Gaku and Ryuu. I was too busy with the game to notice anything, but I haven’t seen them since this morning. They weren’t in school and they didn’t come to dinner. Then I checked my phone and I had a text from Ryuu. Apparently they saw Kujou-san here at the school this morning, and Gaku decided that, since he was gone, they could return to his hideout and try to find the gem that he still has.” He explained. 

Riku’s eyes widened. “And because they haven’t returned yet, you’re worried that Kujou-san has done something to them?” He asked. Tenn nodded. “I tried calling, but Gaku’s phone is still here and Ryuu’s went straight to voicemail.” He explained. 

Tamaki frowned. “That’s really bad though, we can’t just leave them with Kujou, he’s a psychopath!” He exclaimed. Tenn nodded. “Yes… And that’s why, I won’t be helping you tomorrow. I need to go and help Gaku and Ryuu. If he… If Kujou-san did anything to them, I…” He said, but trailed off. 

Riku gave Tenn a sympathetic smile and grabbed his hand. “It’s okay, you should go help them. But I don’t think you should go alone, it’s too dangerous.” He said. Tenn sighed. “I know, that’s why I came to you. But if your deadline is tomorrow night, then you need to focus on that.” He said. 

Riku shook his head. “This is important too, we can’t let anything happen to Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san. We could split up? Three of us could stay and search the library and the other three could go to the farmhouse.” He suggested. 

Tenn’s eyes widened. “You’d do that?” He asked. Riku nodded. “Of course! Well, actually, I should probably be one of the people who stay here and search, but you get the gist. We’re in this together now.” He said. Tenn smiled appreciatively at him. 

Tamaki raised his hand. “Me and Iorin can go with Tenten!” He volunteered. “What?!” Iori asked. “I don’t know, maybe you should take Rokuya-san instead? I kind of want to…” He started, but then Tenn shook his head. “If you wouldn’t mind, I think we could use your help. We worked pretty well together when playing the game. Yotsuba Tamaki can be the muscle in our operation.” He suggested. 

Iori was in disbelief, he couldn’t believe that Tenn would willingly pair up with him when he could be with other people. Iori turned to Riku, as if asking for permission, but Riku only smiled and nodded. Then he leaned in so he could whisper in Iori’s ear. “Maybe it’s a good thing that you’re getting closer.” He said smugly. 

Iori sighed and gave in. “Okay, fine. I’ll go with you two to the farmhouse.” He said. Tenn nodded and Tamaki fistpumped the air in excitement. Then Riku turned to Nagi and Sougo. “I guess that means the three of us will be searching the library. Should we meet up outside around six? That way we can get out of the house before the others are up and about.” He suggested. Nagi and Sougo nodded, and so it was all decided. Tomorrow, it was all going down. 

It was late and Tsukumo had had plenty of time to think. It was time to confront Vera about what he had discovered earlier that day. So, he now found himself in front of her door once more, but this time when he knocked, he got a reply to enter. Tsukumo did and saw Vera over by the desk. “Oh, Tsukumo, how can I help you?” She asked with a smile. Tsukumo didn’t care, he just wanted to get this over with. “Oh, skip the pleasantries. All this time, Vera, all this time you’ve been here and you were working for Kujou Takamasa? How could you?” He asked. 

Vera blinked up at him in confusion. “Who?” She asked. Tsukumo scoffed. “THE COLLECTOR! He is Kujou Takamasa, and he is an absolute bastard! You can’t trust him, he is nothing but a psychopath who thinks of nothing but himself! And you’ve been working for him! Was it fun? Going behind my back, playing the charming lady when in reality you were working for the lowest of scum on this earth.” He said. 

Vera’s eyes widened. “How did you know?” She asked, suddenly feeling quite frightened. “I saw your phone, Vera! I heard his voice!” Tsukumo answered. Vera shook her head in disbelief. “You went through my things?” She asked, angry at first, but when she realized just how much trouble she was in, she realized she couldn’t do that, not if she was to get the mask. “Wait, you don’t understand!” She said. 

Tsukumo laughed, as if what she said was ridiculous. “Then explain!” He exclaimed. Vera gulped down her nerves and spoke. “He’s been threatening me all along! I swear, I didn’t want to work for him! I care for you, that was never a lie! You and I together, we were going to get rich! He was only using me, but I know that he is twisted, I never intended to go along with him!” She said. 

Tsukumo shook his head. “I looked into your connection to him, and you’ve been working together since before you got here. Everything you’ve done since showing up has been for him!” He said. 

Vera sighed in frustration. “But he was threatening me!” She said. “I don’t think so!” Tsukumo yelled. He then took a deep breath to calm down before stepping closer to Vera. “I don’t think that’s true, and even if it was, i’m not sure I would care. So you can pack your things and crawl back to him for all I care. I’m leaving, and when I wake up in the morning, I don’t want to see a trace of you in this house.” He said. 

Vera shook her head in disbelief. “You’re kicking me out? Just like that?” She asked. “I sure as hell am!” Tsukumo exclaimed. “And if I see you here come morning, I will tell Sousuke and we will go to the police. Kujou Takamasa has done some illegal things over the years, and I’m sure you’re not so innocent either.” He said. 

Vera gulped, practically proving Tsukumo right. “Get out of my house you wretched woman.” Tsukumo said, and then he left a dumbfounded Vera behind. 

The next morning, Iori, Tamaki and Tenn got up very early, not quite as early as the others, but still early. Iori barely had time to say goodbye to Riku before they left. Iori, Tamaki and Tenn had wanted to get to the farmhouse as soon as possible, so they had decided to try and catch the first bus, which left at 7:20. 

The three first years left the house, though they felt a bit bad for leaving Tsumugi alone. Since they left later than Riku, Nagi and Sougo, they had run into the young woman and had been asked to help with the preparations. She seemed especially stressed since Vera had seemingly vanished over the night. In the end, they had been forced to sneak out, but at least Tsumugi would have Mitsuki and Yamato to help her. 

The three of them got on the bus, got off at the station closest to the farmhouse and then started the thirty minute long walk there. When they got to the place, they were quick to duck behind some bushes as they were immediately met with Kujou Takamasa. The older was walking around the yard, moving some things to new places. 

“We can’t do anything while he is out there…” Tamaki said. Iori nodded. “I agree, it’s too risky. Ideally, he shouldn’t be here at all, but he definitely can’t be out in the yard. Let’s wait for him to, at the very least, go inside.” He said. Tenn also agreed. “Yeah, hopefully he’ll take his car and leave, but we should take the chance even if he just goes inside. For now, let’s just keep an eye on him.” He said. 

The three of them had to wait for a long time, it was multiple hours and Kujou was still out and about. They had stayed behind the bushes, and while Iori and Tenn kept watch over Kujou clearly, but Tamaki had gotten bored and sat down on the ground, drawing pictures into the soil. 

Tamaki sighed. “Seriously, how long can someone move things around in his garden? It’s been almost three hours! We should be getting back to the house soon!” He exclaimed. Iori and Tenn both turned to Tamaki and gave him a pointed stare, then they shushed him. “Sorry… But we’re not accomplishing anything just sitting here. We know nothing about Gakkun and Ryuu-aniki, and we need to get back and help Rikkun and the others.” He said. 

Iori was just about to answer him, but then Tenn interrupted him. “Car!” He said. Tamaki perked up. “What, is he finally leaving?!” He asked. Tenn shook his head. “No, another car is coming down the road and they will see us if we stay here! We need to move!” He said. Iori and Tamaki turned around to check and saw that there really was a car coming down the road. 

Together, the three of them started to move around to the other side of the place. They found a pile with hayballs that they could hide behind instead, which hid them from both Kujou and the approaching car. Also, it got them a bit closer to the farmhouse. However, as they settled in, Tamaki accidentally knocked over a metal plate that leaned against the hay, and it made a fairly loud sound as it hit the ground. 

“Shit…!” Tamaki exclaimed. All three of them peeked out from behind the hay and saw Kujou standing straight, looking around. “Hello?!” He called out. He must have heard it. “Sorry.” Tamaki mouthed. When Kujou started walking closer to where they were hiding, they realized they were in trouble. They couldn’t go back because then they might be seen by that approaching car, but they couldn’t continue forward as the hay was the last hiding place for a few meters. 

“Is somebody there?” Kujou called out, and Iori, Tamaki and Tenn could do nothing but press as close to the hay as possible and stay silent. They barely dared to breathe. And then, much to their relief, a crow landed beside them and hopped out into sight. “What? A crow?” They could hear Kujou ask. 

Then the telltale sound of a car pulling up nearby seemed to work as a further distraction. “What now?” Kujou asked and they could hear him walk away. Finally, the three of them were able to relax and peek out from behind the hay. They soon recognized the car as the one belonging to Vera. All three boys were silent so that they could hear what was said. 

“Vera? What are you doing here? Don’t you have a job to do?” Kujou asked. “There have been some complications. Tsukumo found out I was working for you and kicked me out of the house.” Vera said. Immediately, Tamaki, Iori and Tenn looked at one another in shock. “That’s why she wasn’t there this morning!” Tamaki said and then they went back to listening. 

“That is awfully unfortunate. What about the mask?” Kujou asked, making Tenn, Iori and Tamaki tense up. 

“Don’t worry, I know where the mask is and how to get there! There is a secret tunnel from the Watanabe Library that leads you almost straight into the chamber where the mask is being kept. I can show you!” Vera said. 

Kujou nodded, seemingly pleased with this answer. “Good, you’ll show me as soon as possible. I have something I need to take care of in time, one last preparation, but then we can go get the mask.” He said and led the way to the car. 

Vera followed him, but Kujou stopped at the last minute, holding his hand out for Vera. “You know, it is not too late to join me. When I put on that mask, the magic that naturally runs through my veins will open a portal to the Egyptian afterlife! You and I can be Gods, together!” He said. 

Vera shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’ll help you get it, but I won’t come with you. You promised I could have the mask once you are gone? I can get rich?” She asked. 

Kujou sighed, but nodded. “Yes. You disappoint me Vera, but nonetheless, if you do get me the mask, it shall be yours once I am done with it.” He said. 

After that, Vera nodded and they entered Kujou’s car and drove off. Once they were gone, Tenn turned to Tamaki and Iori with a questioning look. “What was he talking about? Egyptian afterlife? Becoming a God?” He asked. 

Tamaki looked just as confused as Tenn did and shrugged, but Iori’s eyes were wide in shock and realization. “Holy shit… That’s what the mask can do! If you put it on, it will open a portal into the Egyptan afterlife, where all the Gods supposedly live.” He exclaimed. 

“For real?” Tamaki asked. Iori nodded. “At least that is what Kujou-san believes.” He said, but then he was filled with dread as he realized something else. “That’s why Senkhara wants the mask so bad, so that she can move on from this world and become a god.” He said. 

Tamaki frowned. “But she’s a ghost, she can’t wear the mask since she has got no physical body.” He argued. Iori nodded. “I know… That’s why she needs both the mask and the Chosen One. Kujou mentioned something about the magic in his blood, so maybe only people with special powers can open the portal. Riku is the Chosen One, so Senkhara must want him to wear it, open the portal so that she can use him to get into the afterlife.” Iori explained. 

Both Tenn and Tamaki realized what that would mean. “She intends to bring Riku with her into the afterlife? But that would mean… He’d basically be dead then, right?” Tenn asked. Iori nodded, then he looked up at his friends in determination. “We need to go back, we need to warn Riku about Senkhara’s plans! He can’t put that mask on!” He declared. 

Tenn looked around then. “Okay, but let’s quickly find Gaku and Ryuu first and then hurry back.” He said. Tamaki nodded. “Yeah, now that Kujou is gone, we need to search the place for them. You can call or text Rikkun to warn him, right?” He asked. 

Iori sighed but nodded, so while Tamaki and Tenn started searching, Iori tried to call but got no answer. Instead he sent Riku a text and went to join the other two. The sooner they finished this, the sooner they could head back to the house. 

Luckily, it was only a little over five minutes until Tenn looked through one of the windows in the outhouse and saw his friends inside. “Over here!” He called out and Tamaki and Iori quickly joined him. They picked the lock and opened the door. 

Gaku and Ryuu immediately looked up at them with shocked expressions. Then Ryuu’s face erupted into a smile. “Tenn! You found us!” He called out and embraced his friend. Gaku joined them, but instead of hugging, he held out his hand triumphantly and showed Tenn the gem. “And look what we got.” He said smugly. 

Tenn rolled his eyes. “So not worth it.” He said, but then smiled. “But I’m glad you two are okay.” He said, making even Gaku smile and clap him on the shoulder. 

Over by the door, Iori was impatient to get out. “Guys, we need to leave! We need to get back and warn Riku!” He said. Tenn turned to him and nodded. “Right, let’s go!” He said. And so, they all left the farmhouse behind. Ryuu and Gaku seemed a bit confused though. “Warn him? About what?” Ryuu asked in concern. “I’ll explain on the way.” Was all Tenn answered. For now, they needed to focus on getting back before it was too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Senkhara's plans have been revealed, but will Iori and the others make it back to Riku in time? Come back on Wednesday to find out, because that's when I'll come back with the second to last chapter! Thank you for reading, and also for leaving comments and kudos! <3


	57. Chapter 57

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku, Nagi and Sougo look for another way to get to the mask, meanwhile, Tsukumo does some research to forget about Vera's betrayal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg this is actually the second to last chapter! We're almost finished with this! I really hope you enjoy this update! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do so over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

When Riku, Nagi and Sougo left the House of Anubis that morning, they had done so in the hope that they could start searching the Watanabe Library as early as possible, and thus get as much time as they could. Tonight was the deadline, if they failed to get the mask out of its case before the clock struck twelve that night, they were all going to die.

However, their plan to start searching the library early didn’t go quite as planned. Because once they got to the library, and the clock was only about 6:30 in the morning, there were already people there. They recognized Akihiko and Gustav Ziestack, and apart from them there were two other workers that none of them recognized. 

“They must be packing up the exhibition.” Sougo observed. Riku shook his head in disbelief. “How are we going to do this if they are packing up? We could ask to help, but we wouldn’t be able to search freely with them around…” He said. Nagi sighed. “It’s not ideal, but if we can’t find any other way, asking to help them might be our best bet.” He said. 

Riku scoffed. “There has to be a better way…” He said. Then he made up his mind and turned to his friends. “Right, I’m going to go up there and talk to Akihiko-san. Maybe they aren’t staying long, and if they are, we just have to do it while they are here. You two wait here while I go talk to him.” He said. 

Sougo and Nagi nodded and then watched Riku go. When Akihiko spotted him, he looked happy but surprised. “Riku-kun! What brings you here so early?” He asked. Riku smiled and walked up to him. “Trouble sleeping, so I thought I should get some air. But what are you doing? Isn’t it a bit early to be cleaning up?” He asked in return. 

Akihiko smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. “You are absolutely right, but this was the only time today that worked. We weren’t meant to be doing any packing today, we were going to focus on the dinner tonight, but then we didn’t quite finish what we needed to get done yesterday, so we decided to finish that up today. But because it was so last minute, the people helping us already had other appointments, and this was the only time today they were available. They should be done in about half an hour, and then I was planning to take Gustav here to the school.” He explained. 

Riku smiled, relieved to hear this. “I see. Well, good luck with that! I should probably be heading back to the house now, or the others will freak out when they can’t find me anywhere.” He said and excused himself to leave. 

Akihiko smiled and waved. “Of course! Say hello to Iori-kun and Mitsuki-kun for me, will you? And I'll see you at dinner tonight!” He said. “Will do! See you!” Riku called out and went back to join Nagi and Sougo. He then pulled them both with him around the building so that they could stay close but still avoid being seen. 

“So? What did they say?” Nagi asked. “Well, they were just finishing up some work they started yesterday. They shouldn’t be in there for too long, so we can just wait here for them to leave.” Riku explained. Nagi and Sougo nodded in understanding, and so they waited. 

Just like Akihiko had predicted, they kept working for about half an hour, then they all left, leaving the Watanabe Library empty. Riku, Nagi and Sougo waited another five minutes after they had left, just to be safe, then headed around to the front and got started on working the lock open. Soon, it clicked, and they headed inside. 

Inside the library were crates, some of which were closed, some that were open and partially filled, and some that were open but empty. “Wow, guess they really have started to pack this exhibition up. It feels so strange to see the library without all the artifacts…” Nagi pointed out. 

Sougo nodded. “Yeah, it feels super bare… They’re going to finish packing it all up tomorrow, right?” He asked. This time, Riku nodded. “Yeah, I think that was the plan. We’ll have to be careful when searching not to knock over any crates, it could damage the artifacts.” He commented. Nagi and Sougo nodded in agreement, and then they started searching the place. 

Since they didn’t have much to go on, the three boys just kind of searched anything they could think of. They were searching for an alternative way of getting to the mask, and they had assumed it was a spare key, but they didn’t really know anything. What they were looking for could be anything. 

In Tsumugi’s dream, she had seen the key, and under it a pair of wings, and under that there was the text, ‘Seat of Learning’. The text was the only part they had really figured out, they assumed that meant the library. They also guessed the key was what they were searching for, which left the wings as a possible clue to the key’s whereabouts. 

They had searched for quite a long time when Riku took a break and just sat down on the stairs. There had to be a better way to go about this than to just search blindly. The wings had to mean something, he just didn’t know what. However, as he thought back on it, Riku soon realized that there had been one clue, one riddle they had encountered, that mentioned both the library and wings. 

The very first riddle they found after returning from their break. The riddle that had been spoken in Sara’s voice from the doll that Tsukumo had found in the attic. The riddle that had led Riku and Iori right to this building, rediscovering it after so many years of neglect. _“The athenaeum is the place to look, lift the wings to find the book. Hidden in this book of old, water of life and tears of gold.”_ Riku mumbled, remembering the riddle. 

It did mention the library, since athenaeum was an old word for library or study. It also mentioned wings, which had been in Tsumugi’s vision, and the fact that it mentioned tears of gold linked it to the mask. However, it spoke of finding a book, not a key. Riku remembered that Tsukumo had believed the riddle would lead him to the Book of Isis, an old book with unedited ancient egyptian texts. 

But what if it led to something more? Or what if it was never meant to lead to the book, but rather to this key? Riku knew it was a long shot, but he was desperately grasping at straws here, and he was willing to take whatever. 

He thought back to that day, just after the term had started when he and Iori visited the library for the first time. Tsukumo had found a compartment that day, but he believed it to be empty. And sure, there had been no book in there, but what if something else was hidden inside? 

Riku remembered that Tsukumo had done something with the stairs, the same stairs he was sitting on, to open the hidden compartment. Riku knelt down and started inspecting the staircase, and soon he found the compartment. It was closed, but he could see the outline of it. Also, it had the wings of Isis drawn on it. 

Riku tried to pry it open, but to no avail, there had to be another way to open it. Riku looked up and saw that the railing was also shaped kind of like wings. “Lift the wings… to find the book.” He repeated. Then he grabbed the railing just above the compartment and lifted. He smiled triumphantly when he felt them move. Then Riku twisted them, like he thought he remembered seeing Tsukumo do, and to his delight the compartment opened. 

“Yes!” Riku exclaimed as he bent down to inspect it closer. Nagi and Sougo, who must have heard his triumphant call, came over at that moment. “What happened? Did you find anything?” Nagi asked. Riku nodded. “Maybe, but I need to confirm it.” He said. 

The compartment was fairly small, just big enough to fit one book, and not even a very big book. The inside of it was dressed in red satin, which made it soft and fancy-looking. Riku ran his hands over the fabric and that was when he felt it. A small bump right in the center of the drawer. There was something underneath the satin. 

Riku turned to Nagi and Sougo. “Guys, there’s something here! I need to get it out.” He said. Sougo nodded and didn’t hesitate a second before he pulled out a small pocket knife. “Will this do?” He asked. Riku blinked at him and nodded. “Perfect.” He said and grabbed the knife. 

“Why did you have a knife in the first place?” Nagi asked from behind Riku. But before Sougo could answer, Nagi spoke again. “ You know what? Forget I asked, I don’t want to know.” He said. After that, Riku started focusing on the task before him instead. He cut the fabric and was delighted when he saw a small, brass key. 

Riku picked it up and held it out to Nagi and Sougo. “Guys, I think we found it!” He exclaimed. “Found what?” They heard from behind them. They all twirled around and saw Sousuke standing there, glaring at them. Riku quickly hid the key and closed the compartment. “Oh, uh… My… pencil. Yeah, last week I dropped my favourite pencil in here and I’ve been meaning to come find it ever since! Finally did it!” He said. He was aware it was a pretty horrible lie, but he couldn’t think of anything better. 

Sousuke sighed. “Well, you shouldn’t be in here right now. In fact, you should be at school.” He said. At that, Riku, Nagi and Sougo frowned. “School? But it’s Sunday, we have no classes today.” Nagi pointed out. 

“I thought Tsukumo went over this with you? Oh well, Gustav asked to have a meeting with the students, sort of to review the exhibition. It should take maybe two or three hours? Come on, it starts in about ten minutes.” He said and getured for them to follow. 

The three boys didn’t have much choice, so they obediently followed after their headmaster. But once they were outside, they started whispering amongst each other. “This is bad. Now that we have the key, we need to go and get that mask for Senkhara as soon as we can!” Riku said. 

Nagi shook his head. “You need to calm down. Now that we have the key, we are in no hurry. As long as we get back into the tunnels before midnight, we’ll be fine. Let’s go to this meeting, and then head straight for the mask.” He said. 

Sougo nodded. “Yeah. Besides, by the time we are done with this meeting, maybe the others will have made it back from the farmhouse and we can go together. Either way, we’ll be able to go before our time runs out.” He said. 

Riku nodded, albeit reluctantly. And so, they followed their headmaster to school. But at least the spare key was now in their possession. 

That morning, Tsukumo had been pleased to see that Vera had gone, he wasn’t sure what he would have done if he had seen her around the house. However, there was a part of him that was sad that she had really gone. Despite everything, he had genuinely liked her, and this, while shocking and hurtful, was not enough to simply erase those feelings. No, that would take a while longer. 

Tsumugi had tried to rope Tsukumo into helping her and some of the students to prepare that afternoon’s party and the dinner. In hindsight, Tsukumo probably should have agreed to ensure that it turned out as well as possible. However, he just couldn’t seem to bring himself to care. Instead, he adamantly refused and excused himself to retreat into his office. 

Tsukumo sighed as he sat down in his chair. He needed a distraction, something that would take his mind off of Vera and her betrayal. He looked down and saw his research and the Book of Isis laying on the desk. He figured it was as good of a distraction as any, and so he picked it up. He came back to the same sentence he had found himself stuck at multiple times. “At the portal of the mind, the weeping Paragon will find themselves standing at the threshold to the Golden Fields of Rashes…” He read. 

Tsukumo sighed, he felt like it was important somehow. He had managed to figure out that the Paragon was another word for the Chosen One, who at the moment was Nanase Riku. He also knew that it was somehow related to the Mask of Anubis, something about its true powers… He already knew it could produce tears of gold, which he assumed would only happen once the Paragon wore it, thus the part about ‘the weeping Paragon’. 

However, the part that had Tsukumo stumped was the ‘Golden Fields of Rashes’. He knew he recognized it, and it sounded a lot like it was a name for a specific place. Curiosity won over and Tsukumo decided to look into it. For the next hour or so, he researched places that were important for the ancient Egyptians, looking for someplace that could be referred to as a Golden Field of Rashes. And finally, he found it. 

“Oh my God…” Tsukumo mumbled as he realized just what this meant, what the mask did and just how powerful it really was. “The Golden Fields of Rashes is another word for the home of the Gods… The Egyptian afterlife. That mask has the power to make the one who wears it a God…” 

After the meeting in school ended, which had dragged on a bit longer than Riku would have liked, he, Sougo and Nagi hurriedly made their way back to the Watanabe Library. Now that they had the key to the mask, or at least what they assumed was the right key, they were eager to get this over with. They had hoped that maybe Iori and the others would have returned by the time they were done in school, but that didn’t seem to be the case, so they went ahead by themselves. 

Once they got to the library and saw that, much to their delight, the place was completely empty, they quickly made their way inside. Riku opened the hatch and went in first, closely followed by Nagi and Sougo. Once they got the hatch closed behind them, they made their way through the tunnels and into the chamber of the mask. 

The three of them crossed the senet board, which now no longer had the statues on it and thus they were free to just walk across. Then they reached the compartment with the mask. Riku gulped down his nerves. This was it, this was the end. A part of him was a bit worried that they might have the wrong key, but he also knew it had to be right. He could feel it. 

Riku pulled out the key and turned to both Nagi and Sougo to see if he should go ahead and do it. They both nodded, and so Riku turned back to the mask. Riku held his breath as he inserted the key into the keyhole, and only when it fit did he finally relax. As he turned it around to unlock the compartment, Riku looked into the hollow eyes of the Mask of Anubis. A feeling of dread overcame him then, as if something was wrong, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. Riku shrugged it off as just nerves. 

Once Riku finished turning the key, the glass covering the mask opened up. The three friends stared at it in awe for a minute, and then Riku reached up to take it. “Woah…” He said. Nagi and Sougo said nothing, stunned by the sight of the mask in their hands. “We did it…!” Riku exclaimed in disbelief. “We actually did it! After all this time, we got the mask!” He said. 

Nagi and Sougo grinned and then, out of nowhere, Nagi swept both of his friends up into a hug. “We are so amazing, you guys! We worked so hard, and now we finally got it!” He said. Riku and Sougo laughed. “I just wish Iori-kun and Tamaki-kun could have been here. They worked even harder than Nagi-kun and me…” Sougo pointed out then. 

Riku nodded and smiled sadly. “Yes, that would have been nice. But they will be so happy when we break the curse! Come on, let’s go give this to Senkhara and finally end this, once and for all.” He said. Nagi and Sougo agreed and they walked into the center of the room so that Riku could call out for their ghost. “Senkhara! We did what you asked! We have the mask and we want to give it to you!” 

Not even ten seconds had passed before Senkhara appeared in front of them. She had a triumphant smile on her face, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise to them, she was finally going to get what she wanted after all. Maybe they had just gotten so used to her angry and impatient expressions that this one took them aback. 

“Finally!” Senkhara exclaimed and stepped closer to the three boys. “The Mask of Anubis is finally mine!” She said. Riku nodded and held it out to her so that she could take it and they could be done with this mess once and for all. However, Senkhara did not take the mask, instead she looked at Riku and gestured for him to keep it. “Now, put it on.” She said. 

Riku frowned. “What?” He asked. He had expected Senkhara to take the mask for herself, not tell Riku to put it on. He thought then of Tsukumo’s father’s warning, that Senkhara meant him harm, and also how Senkhara had made him vanish before he could reveal the real power of the mask. Just what would happen if he put it on? 

Riku cast worried glances at Sougo and Nagi, and they looked just as wary as he felt. Something was wrong, and they could all feel it. They just didn’t know what it was. But despite the unease, Riku just wanted to get this over with. He wanted to break the curse and go back to his normal life. And so, he brought the mask up to his face… 

Only to be interrupted before he could finish by hurried footsteps coming down the tunnels and the stairs into the chamber of the mask. Soon, Riku saw Iori, Tamaki, Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu, all rushing towards them. “No, stop! Don’t put on that mask!” Iori yelled, which made Riku lower it again in confusion. 

Senkhara turned around and glared angrily at Iori and the other newcomers, making them stop in their tracks. Then she turned back to Riku. “Nonsense! Put it on! Now!” She ordered. But Riku was scared now, and he looked to Iori for help. 

Iori looked terrified and his eyes would not leave Riku’s for a moment. “Please, don’t put it on.” He said pleadingly. “We overheard Kujou-san saying what the mask could really do! That mask will open a portal to the Egyptian afterlife if you wear it, and Senkhara, who can’t wear it herself since she hasn’t got a body, will take you with her into the afterlife!” Iori explained. “If you put it on, we will lose you forever.” He finally added. 

Riku’s eyes widened in shock. “What?” He asked in confusion. But at that moment, he remembered something that Tsukumo’s father had said, he had mentioned that he sought immortality in this life, not some Egyptian afterlife. And immediately, it all made sense to Riku, Senkhara’s plans, why she needed him as well, it all clicked into place. He turned to look at the spirit then, but she was still smiling from ear to ear, a smile that looked nothing but eerie. 

“Isn’t it fantastic? You and I can live together forever, Chosen One! In the Golden Fields of Rashes, we can live on as Gods!” She exclaimed and took a step closer to Riku, who in turn backed away. He didn’t want to put it on, he didn’t want to go with Senkhara to the afterlife, he wanted to stay in this life. But then he caught sight of the mark on Senkhara’s hands and remembered the curse. If he refused, would she kill all his friends and his Gran? Would she kill Iori? 

The others must have seen his indecision, because soon Tenn called out to him. “Riku, whatever you’re thinking, stop! You can’t put on that mask!” He said. “Riku please, just think about it. Don’t do it.” Iori added. But Senkhara was just as persistent. “Come on, put it on.” She said, still smiling, as if she wasn’t the least bit worried that Riku might refuse. 

Riku looked down at the mask, then he looked up at his friends, let his eyes wander over them, stopping a bit longer at Tenn, and then even longer at Iori. Then Riku turned to Senkhara, his expression filled with determination, even though his eyes were filled with fear. “If I put on the mask, do you promise to lift the curse off my Gran and my friends?” He asked. 

“No!” Iori, Tenn and the others started yelling at him. But Riku ignored them as his eyes stayed locked on Senkhara, who smiled calmly and nodded. “Of course, I promise to lift the curse on everyone I placed it on. I will even promise that we can watch over them, protect them from the other side. But in order to do that, I need you to put it on.” She said. 

Riku gulped and nodded. “Fine, I’ll do it…” He said. Again, the others yelled at him not to. But Riku only closed his eyes and tried to ignore their calls. He couldn’t look at them because then he might change his mind. This was for the best, this way, at least they would all live. It was the only way. And with that in mind, Riku lifted the mask and put it on his face. 

The room grew silent, no more shouting, no more screaming. However, as they waited, nothing seemed to happen. Carefully, Riku opened his eyes, only to see the smile slipping off Senkhara’s face. “No… Why is nothing happening?! What have you done, child?” She asked angrily. Riku took the mask off and shook his head desperately. “I haven’t done anything! I don’t know why it’s not working!” He said. 

Senkhara screamed in anger, clearly this hadn’t gone as she had planned. Then she held out her hands, palm up, and the marks started glowing. Immediately, Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo all collapsed on the ground, screaming in agony. Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu, who hadn’t been marked, could do nothing but stand there and watch. 

“You have failed me, Chosen One! This was your last chance, now you shall perish!” Senkhara yelled. Riku cried out, but then he noticed something. His locket, the one Sara gave him, the one that started it all, was glowing. And not only that, on the inside of the mask there was an indentation in the shape of the locket. Did the mask need to be activated or something? Riku didn’t know what would happen, but he was all out of options, so he took his locket and pressed it to the back of the mask. To his surprise, some text appeared on the back of it. 

Riku’s eyes widened as he read what was written on the back of the mask, and with his final strength, he stood back up and stared down Senkhara. “STOP!” He yelled, and momentarily, the pain stopped. “Stop!” Riku yelled again, but with less conviction this time. “This isn’t the real mask!” He declared. 

Senkhara turned to him then, with disbelief on her face. “What are you saying, boy?” She asked. Riku tried to catch his breath, and then he explained. “There is writing on the back, this isn’t the real mask, it’s the final clue!” He said, and then he read the text on the back out loud so that they all could hear it. _“The true mask still waits hidden for all to see; the Portal of the mind awakes; the Paragon is the key.”_

Everyone was silent, taking in this new piece of information. Riku looked around at all of them, one after the other. “Don’t you get it?” He asked. “The true mask is hidden for all to see. The true mask is the one we believed to be the bronze replica. The true mask has been right in front of us all along, but we wouldn’t know it unless we found this one.” He said, and immediately, they all realized what this meant. The real Mask of Anubis was just a couple of minutes away, inside one of the crates in the Watanabe Library. This was not over yet… 

After his realization about the Mask of Anubis’ true powers, Tsukumo had gone over the parts about the mask in the book over and over again. However, it was still a while until he noticed that the picture of the mask from the exhibit pamphlet differed a bit from the drawings in the book. 

On the replica of the mask, in the very center of the forehead, there was a small, round cavity. But in the pictures in the Book of Isis, that cavity was filled with a gemstone. The book addressed it as the mask’s third eye, the source of its power. And without the third eye, the mask would not work, no matter how strong the one who wore it was. 

Tsukumo closed the book then, and stood up. He couldn’t remember clearly if the mask down in the tunnels had a gem in it or not, but if it didn’t, then no matter who used the mask, they wouldn’t succeed. The mask was powerless without its third eye. Tsukumo decided that he needed to go down there and have another look.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh, how will this end? Find out on Saturday when I'll be back with the final (!!!) chapter of House of Ainana 2: The Mask of Anubis! I'm so excited to share the conclusion to this story with you guys, so stay tuned! Thank you so much for reading, and also for leaving kudos and comments! <3


	58. Chapter 58

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the final showdown, the true mask has been revealed, but can Iori and the others stop Riku from putting it on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are. The final chapter. I'm not going to say too much now, so just enjoy it! If you have any questions or want to talk to me, you can do that over on Twitter: @EFagerhag

After everything that had gone down in the final chamber and finding out that the mask behind the glass in the tunnels wasn’t actually the real one, that the real mask had been the one they thought was a replica all along, things had gotten a bit messy. Now that they all knew what the mask could do, most of them did not want anyone to use it. But in order to break the curse, Riku was willing to do anything. If it meant his friends and his Gran would be safe, he would go along with Senkhara’s plan.

Now, Riku knew that the others, Iori and Tenn especially, would try to stop him. And so, he was the first one to push ahead and make his way back towards the library, where the real mask was. And just as he suspected, the others all followed after him once they noticed him taking off. Iori and Tenn were closest, and they were calling out to Riku to just think about what he was doing. 

Riku tried his best not to listen, not because he didn’t care what they thought about this, but because he was afraid he might not be able to go through with it if he listened to them. He didn’t actually want to pass over with Senkhara, but the alternative was worse. And so, Riku steeled himself and kept running. 

Shortly after he entered the tunnel that would lead him to the library, however, he stopped. On the ground ahead he could see a light, a light that would only be there if the hatch was open. In the meantime, Iori, Tenn and the others caught up to him. “What-” started Iori, but Riku covered his mouth. “Ssh!” He beckoned for all of them to be silent. 

They all listened, and soon they heard grunting, followed by muted voices and then footsteps. Someone was coming into the tunnels. Not wanting to be found out, they all quickly retreated back into the main tunnels. They assumed that whoever it was, they must be heading toward the chamber of the mask, so instead the boys just went the other way and hid around a corner. 

Soon, the footsteps grew louder, meaning the newcomers were getting closer. Riku, Iori and Tenn, who stood at the front and could peek out from behind the corner, soon saw just who had entered the tunnels. “It’s Kujou-san and Vera…” Riku whispered so that the others could hear. “They must have finished their errand, then.” Tamaki commented, and while most of them didn’t understand, Iori and Tenn nodded. They would explain later. 

Just as they had guessed, Kujou and Vera headed down towards the chamber of the mask, and they were none the wiser that Riku and the rest had watched them all along. Now, the smart thing to do would have probably been to ignore them and use the time it would take for them to realize the mask down there was fake to go and get the real mask for Senkhara. However, it felt wrong letting Kujou and Vera go ahead alone. “I’m a bit curious what’s going to happen… Should we follow them?” Riku asked. 

While the others weren’t particularly keen on following Kujou, it did sort of work as a distraction from the real mask. Maybe then they could convince Riku not to go along with Senkhara’s demands. At least, that was Iori’s plan as he agreed to follow Kujou and Vera. “Yeah, let’s go check it out.” He said and grabbed Riku’s hand. 

And so, they were once again walking down the tunnels that led to the chamber of the mask. Once they got there, it was pure luck that had Kujou and Vera face away from them. Quickly and quietly, the five members of Sibuna hid behind the stairs. However, it was too tight for Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu as well, so they had to settle on hiding behind the big chair in the center of the room. It wasn’t ideal, but if they were silent, Kujou might not notice them. 

Ahead of them, Kujou plucked the mask from its case, since it was now easily accessible. Both he and Vera stared at it in awe. “Wow. It is magnificent.” Kujou said, and Vera could do nothing but nod in agreement. Since Kujou had not been here in the tunnels before, he could not know this, but Vera grew a bit suspicious about the mask, seeing as the last time she saw it, it had been covered by glass. The fact that the case was open, yet the mask was still here seemed a bit odd to her. But she did not voice her concerns, she mostly just wanted Kujou to get this mess over with so that she could take the mask, get rich, and then move on with her life. 

From their hiding places, the students all waited to see if Kujou would realize that the mask he was holding was actually a fake. However, they didn’t get to watch that realization, as because they were so focused on him and Vera, they didn’t notice that another set of footsteps was approaching. At least, they didn’t notice until it was too late. 

Tsukumo, who had decided to investigate the mask’s missing third eye, finally joined the rest in the chamber. However, since he came from the stairs, the first thing he noticed was Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu hiding behind the chair. “Yaotome Gaku, Tsunashi Ryuunosuke, Nanase Tenn, what do you think you are doing down here?!” He asked, making the three of them turn around with wide eyes. Luckily, the five Sibuna members were still safely hidden behind the stairs. 

However, since Tsukumo hadn’t bothered to keep his voice down, Kujou and Vera noticed as well. “Well, well, well, look who we have here…” Kujou said, snapping Tsukumo’s attention to him. Tsukumo’s expression warped into one of cautious anger and he walked forward to place himself between Kujou and the three students who now stood out in the open. 

Kujou laughed at the act. “My, my, Tsukumo, I believe you have gone soft, protecting the kids. But it doesn’t matter either way, the Mask of Anubis is already mine, you have come too late.” He declared, smiling cruelly. 

Tsukumo glared at Kujou, but he was not going to let him get to him, not this time. He had spent enough time of his life being scared of him, and thus also being used by him. Tsukumo gestured to the mask. “I know what you’re planning, but it won’t work. The mask is missing its third eye.” He said. 

The boys, both Tenn, Gaku and Ryuu, as well as Sibuna who were still in hiding, grew confused. They had never heard anything about a third eye. As they thought about it, they assumed Tsukumo meant the empty cavity in the mask’s forehead. Was there meant to be something in there? 

Kujou frowned and looked at the mask, once Tsukumo had pointed it out, Kujou realized that he was right. “Damn that Ritsu! Of course he removed that gem from the mask. He was cautious up until the very end, scared of the mask’s power…! Well, luckily for me, the gem is already in my possession.” He said. 

Tenn’s eyes widened in realization at that. The third eye must be the same gem that he, Gaku and Ryuu had found. It did belong to the Watanabes, and Kujou must not know that Gaku and Ryuu had taken it from the safe. But before he knew for sure, Tenn needed to check, so without a word, he reached into Gaku’s pocket and pulled the gem out. “Hey!” Gaku exclaimed, but Tenn ignored him. As he looked closer at the small, pink gem, he noted that it looked like it would fit in the mask. 

However, Gaku’s exclamation had drawn the others’ attention, and that in turn caused Kujou to notice the familiar gem in Tenn’s hand. Kujou realized what must have happened. He knew that Gaku and Ryuu had been locked at the farmhouse, but he hadn't paid too close attention to them now since he didn't consider them to be important. However, they had been locked in the same room as the safe with the gem, they must have taken it. 

Now Kujou’s undivided attention was on Tenn. He plastered the kindest smile he could muster on his face, took a step forward and held out his hand. “Tenn, my boy, come over here and give me that! I know we had our little falling out, but you’re still like a son to me! I apologize for all I did! Now come!” He said. 

Tenn started to roll his eyes, because there was no way in hell that he was ever going back to Kujou after everything that he had done. However, he then realized something and stopped himself. Tenn leaned in closer to Gaku and Ryuu so he could whisper to them. “Kujou-san still doesn’t know that mask is fake, we can use that against him, buy the others some time. I’ve got an idea, so when I tell you to run, you guys need to run, and don’t let him find out it’s not the real mask.” He said. Gaku and Ryuu nodded, though they weren’t entirely sure what Tenn was planning. 

Tenn sighed and looked down at the gem in his hands, trying to appear as if he was seriously considering Kujou’s offer. Then he looked up, a bit hesitant, and nodded. Tsukumo tried to stop Tenn, but he wasn’t sure how. Riku was also close to coming out and stop his brother, but was held back by Iori. 

Tenn walked up and stopped right in front of Kujou. He gripped the gem hard in his hand and looked up at his old foster father, trying his best to look small and weak, knowing it was exactly what Kujou would want. Kujou smiled, and to some it might have looked kind and understanding, but Tenn knew the shrewdness behind it. 

But then, in one split second before Tenn could give the gem to Kujou, he reached out his empty hand and yanked the mask from Kujou’s hold and threw it to his friends. Ryuu caught it. “Run!” Tenn yelled, and both Gaku and Ryuu complied and hurried up the steps and through the tunnels back towards the House of Anubis. 

“NO!” Kujou yelled, then he pushed Tenn aside, completely forgetting about the gem, and started running after Gaku, Ryuu and the fake mask. “Come back here!” Tsukumo yelled as Kujou ran after two of his students, and then he too followed. 

In the background, Vera shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t do this anymore, I’m getting the hell out of here.” She mumbled and then left, albeit much more slowly. Though she never followed, she just left the tunnels via the library and decided to get as far away from this mess as possible. 

Meanwhile, the five members of Sibuna came out of their hiding spot. Riku immediately rushed over to Tenn and threw his arms around him in a hug. “Are you okay?” He asked as he pulled back. Tenn nodded. “Yeah, I am. And I also managed to use the fact that Kujou-san didn’t know that only the fake mask was down here to get him to leave. It should keep him away for a few minutes at least.” He said. 

Riku smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that was very smart. But he’s going to come back for the gem once he has the mask, even if he just gets the fake mask.” He said. Tenn nodded again and opened his fist, which had remained closed since Kujou noticed Tenn had the gem. “Who would have thought that Gaku’s gem was actually so important?” He asked no one but himself. 

Riku nodded and looked down at the stone in his brother’s hand. He wasn’t happy about what he intended to do next, so he mumbled a quiet “Sorry.” under his breath before he quickly took the gem from Tenn and ran off as well. 

Once the others realized what Riku had done, they were quick to follow. “Shit! He’s going to put it in the real mask and use it! We have to stop him!” Tenn called out. “I know!” Iori yelled from the very front. He had been observing Riku after they came out of hiding, since he was scared Riku would still run off for the real mask. So when Riku really had taken off, Iori was quick to follow. 

Riku ran back toward the library, keeping a watchful eye out for Kujou so that he wouldn’t run into him up ahead. This time though, he got to the library without stopping or looking back. He could hear the others calling out to him and following close behind, but once again, he tried to ignore it. 

Once Riku reached the Library, he actually closed the hatch so that it would take longer for the others to join him. He then started looking for the real mask. Its display case was empty, so it had to have been packed down already, meaning it was in one of the crates. The first crate Riku checked was empty, and the second one only had the ox-bell they had used for one of the tasks in it. However, Riku had more luck with the third crate, because he could see the mask down one of the sides. 

Riku reached down and started pulling out the mask. But as soon as he got it out, someone walked up behind it and grabbed it. Riku turned around, still holding onto the mask, and saw that it was Iori. The two stared at one another for a second, both holding onto the mask. Iori’s eyes held unshed tears that broke Riku’s heart. “Please, don’t do this Riku…” Iori said, his voice breaking. “We’ll find another way, just please, don’t put on that mask. I can’t lose you.” 

Riku let a small sob escape, but then he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Iori, but this is the only way. If I don’t do this, Senkhara will kill all of us, including me. If I do this, she will at least spare the rest of you.” He said, tears now running down his cheeks. Iori shook his head, but he couldn’t argue with that logic. 

Iori’s hands grew slack around the mask. Riku could see that he didn’t want to let go, but it wasn’t hard to pry them off, so that is what Riku did. Then he took out the gem and put it into the small cavity in the forehead, making the mask glow golden, proving it really was the true mask. It was beautiful. 

Riku looked up then, first at Iori, then behind him at Tenn, Nagi, Tamaki and Sougo, who had now joined them, and then back at Iori. Riku leaned in and placed a soft and quick kiss at the corner of Iori’s mouth. “I’m sorry. I love you, always.” He whispered. 

Then Riku heard laughter behind him and turned around, only to see Senkhara standing there, smiling like a maniac. Riku takes a deep breath and then steps closer to her before lifting the mask. For a minute, he hesitated and just let it hover in front of his face, but then he thought of what would happen if he refused. Riku steeled himself and put the mask, the real mask, on his face. 

The mask started glowing even more than before, and it was a bright and warm light. Riku turned around to look at his friends one last time. It was then that the others saw that, just like they had read, a golden liquid started forming beneath the eyes of the mask. “Tears of gold…” Tamaki muttered. 

Then the gem started glowing as well, startling them all. A beam of light shot out of it and opened a rift in the very air above them. And on the other side there was, just like Senkhara had said, a golden field of rashes. Riku had done it, he had opened a portal to the Egyptian afterlife. 

“Finally!” Senkhara exclaimed as she flew over to Riku. Since she had no physical body of her own, she couldn’t enter without him. So, she took possession of Riku’s body instead. “The Golden Fields of Rashes awaits, Chosen One.” Senkhara spoke through Riku’s mouth. It was disconcerting to say the least, to hear the spirit’s voice come out of Riku’s mouth. 

Then Riku, or Senkhara, started walking towards the stairs so that they could reach the portal from the second floor. In one last attempt to stop this from happening, Iori rushed forward and grabbed Riku’s wrist. “Wait, please! Don’t take him!” He pleaded, but Senkhara only scoffed and threw Iori off. “You foolish boy!” She yelled, making Iori back away in fear. “You can not stop me now!” She then added before she held out a hand, Riku’s hand, and a light appeared in his palm. 

Iori realized too late what was happening as the light from Riku’s palm turned into a lightning bolt that shot straight at Iori’s heart. Or at least it would have if Tenn had not noticed what was going on and quickly pushed Iori out of the way. But in doing so, Tenn himself got hit right in the chest and collapsed into a heap on the floor. 

“No!” They all screamed, and Sougo and Tamaki knelt down next to Tenn’s unconscious body while Iori and Nagi kept their eyes trained on Riku/Senkhara as they continued to ascend the stairs. 

That was also when Gaku and Ryuu entered the library, closely followed by Tsukumo? They must have lost Kujou somewhere, because he did not enter after them. Immediately, Gaku and Ryuu saw Tenn’s collapsed body on the floor and rushed over to help him. Tsukumo was too busy looking around at everything going on. “What the…?” He said, but then he spotted Riku wearing the mask and moving towards the open rift. 

From the state of things, Tsukumo could pretty much guess what had gone down. Senkhara had possessed Nanase Riku so that she could enter the afterlife. Only that would take Riku there as well, and while Tsukumo may admittedly not be the best caretaker, he did not actually want any of his students to die. 

Tsukumo looked around the room and saw that everyone there was either unconscious, helping said unconscious person, or was too shaken up by what was going down to do any real good. Meaning, if anyone was going to do something, it was going to have to be him. But for what he had planned, he needed something that belonged to Senkhara in life. Luckily, Tsukumo soon spotted her crown. 

Tsukumo ran over and grabbed ahold of Senkhara’s crown, which luckily had not been packed down yet. Then he turned to where Riku/Senkhara was just about to enter the portal and presented them the crown. He yelled, catching everyone’s attention. Senkhara looked at him and froze. “Stop!” She called out. 

But Tsukumo had no intention of stopping. “In the name of the God Anubis, I banish you, spirit of Senkhara, the Forgotten Ruler!” Tsukumo declared, and then he started chanting in some odd language. The others assumed it was ancient Egyptian. 

Whatever Tsukumo had done, it seemed to work, because Senkhara’s spirit was sucked out of Riku, who promptly collapsed on the floor. Senkhara stared angrily down at Tsukumo as he had foiled her plans. “Now begone.” Tsukumo said, and then broke Senkhara’s crown in two. 

The spirit wailed loudly and despairingly. And then she started to disintegrate until she was completely gone. And just like its master, the crown started to vanish from Tsukumo’s hands as well. Senkhara was gone, and Tsukumo collapsed in a heap on the floor. “I may not be even close to the Chosen One in terms of power, but my bloodline has some power of its own.” He declared. 

Finally, it was all over… Or so they thought, because right at that moment, Kujou entered the library, looking red with rage. He quickly spotted Gaku and Ryuu and glared at them. “You two! Hand it over! Give me the mask, now!” He yelled. 

But before Gaku and Ryuu could respond, they all heard a groan as Riku seemed to come to and sit up. Kujou also noticed and turned around. And when he did, he of course saw Riku wearing the mask, and the mask with the third eye in it, as well as the still open portal. “You!” Was all he exclaimed before he ran over to the stairs and made for Riku. 

Riku’s eyes widened and he took off the mask, thus making the portal disappear so that Kujou couldn’t enter. However, that did not stop the older man from closing the distance between them and trying to forcefully grab the mask for himself. Riku yelped and clung onto it. It wasn’t that he particularly wanted it, but he didn’t want Kujou Takamasa to become a god. 

From the first floor, Iori wanted to rush up and help, but Tsukumo stopped him, and anyone else from following them. “Wait!” He said, then turned to where Riku and Kujou were still fighting over the mask. “Nanase Riku!” Tsukumo called out, making Riku momentarily turn his attention to him. 

Tsukumo then did something he never thought he would do, he forced a comforting smile onto his face and nodded at Riku. “Let go! It’s okay!” He said. Riku hesitated, but he knew that deep down, Tsukumo wasn’t all bad. Besides, he was weakened from Senkhara’s possession still and would not have been able to hold on for much longer even if he wanted to. And so, Riku decided to trust Tsukumo this time, and let the mask go. 

“Ha!” Kujou exclaimed triumphantly. Then he wasted no more time and put on the mask. Riku watched in horror as the portal opened again, but something was wrong. Beyond the portal there were no longer the calm and beautiful fields of rashes, it looked more like a fiery pit. 

It seemed Riku was not the only one who had been surprised by this, as Kujou also grew confused. But soon that confusion faded and transformed into fear as he started to get sucked into the dark and fiery abyss. Kujou yelled and tried to hold onto the railing, but to no avail. Whatever force was dragging him inside was too strong. And soon, Kujou let go, fell down into the hellscape. 

The portal closed and the Mask of Anubis fell to the floor below. Finally, and this time for real, it was over. But Riku only had a second of relief as he remembered about Tenn and rushed down to check on him, just as all the others had done. 

By the time Riku knelt next to Tenn, Ryuu and Gaku, who had been by Tenn’s side ever since they arrived, looked quite frantic. “I can’t find a pulse!” Ryuu yelled, tears in his eyes that were threatening to fall any minute now. Riku looked on, feeling hopelessly useless in this situation. 

“Move aside!” Tsukumo yelled then as he knelt next to Tenn and picked up his hand to feel for a pulse. “What happened to him?” He asked. Iori stepped forward to answer. “He saved my life…” He said, sounding as if he could barely believe it himself. “Senkhara threw a lightning bolt at me when she was still in Riku’s body, and he pushed me out of the way. But it hit him instead.” He explained. 

Tsukumo nodded and then turned back to Tenn. “I feel a pulse, but it’s very faint, and it seems to be fading more and more by the second.” He said. They all looked at him then, fear, worry and sadness written over all their features. “You… you mean he’s dying?” Gaku asked, and Tsukumo nodded. “This may be beyond my skill set, and even if we call an ambulance now, they will be too late.” He explained. 

But Riku refused to believe that Tenn was gone, he couldn’t lose his brother a second time. And that was when he spotted the Mask of Anubis, and more importantly, a drop of golden liquid that still clung to the mask. Riku stood up and went to get it, then made his way back and presented the mask to Tsukumo. “The Tears of Gold, they’re an ingredient for the elixir, right? Can it save him?” He asked. 

Tsukumo’s eyes widened as he accepted the mask. “Not only is it an ingredient, it is the most important one. It is the one that grants the power of life… Maybe…” He said and turned back to Tenn. But there was no time to hesitate, and this was the only chance to save Tenn. Tsukumo kind of wanted to take the tears of gold for himself, then he could finally make more elixir. But there was only one drop, and he would not let a young boy die because of his own greed. 

Tsukumo leaned over Tenn and placed the edge of the mask on his lips. Then he tilted it so that the single teardrop of gold ran down the edge of the mask and into Tenn’s mouth. They all held their breaths as they waited for the golden tear to magically heal Tenn, or for it to do anything, really. 

Then colour returned to Tenn’s face and he violently coughed and sat up. Once he collected himself enough to open his eyes, Tenn looked around at the stunned faces of his friends. “What?” He asked. 

“Tenn-nii!” Riku exclaimed happily and threw his arms around his brother’s neck. Tenn returned the hug. He was still a bit confused, as he had missed everything that had just happened. But everyone looked safe, and both Kujou and that spirit lady were gone, so everything seemed to have ended fairly well. 

After that, they all got a chance to make sure Tenn was okay and to express how happy they were that he was alive. Then finally, Iori turned to him. “You saved my life… Thank you.” He said. 

Tenn scoffed. “Of course I did. Even if I hate to admit it, Riku would be heartbroken if I let you die. And besides, maybe I don’t dislike you quite as much as I used to.” He said, and then spoke nothing more of it. It seemed like he just wanted to forget that it ever happened. 

Once they were all sure that Tenn was really okay, Riku turned to Iori and the rest of Sibuna. “It’s over, isn’t it? It really is finished, right?” He asked. Iori and Nagi both rolled up their sleeves, only to see that the marks were now gone. Tamaki and Sougo rolled up the legs of their pants, and their tattoos were also gone. Finally, Riku checked his own arm, which was now free of any markings as well. 

“I think this means it’s over. The curse is broken.” Iori said. Riku laughed and finally threw himself at Iori, enveloping him in a hug that Iori immediately reciprocated. “Group hug!” Tamaki then exclaimed and he, Nagi and Sougo joined Iori and Riku. They all laughed and smiled, glad to finally be curse-free. 

While the five of them celebrated, Tenn picked up the Mask of Anubis and removed the gem again. The powers of the mask were too much for any one person to possess, Watanabe Ritsu had been right in removing the gem. He then turned to Gaku and held out the gem. “I think I know where this belongs.” He said. 

Gaku smirked, nodded and took the gem. He would make sure to put it in the Watanabe Shield tomorrow when he returned to school. Gaku then looked at the clock and his eyes widened. “Shit! Guys, we should get back to the house! The closing party for the exhibition started five minutes ago!” He exclaimed. 

The others all agreed, and one by one, they all started piling out of the library and moving back to the house. However, Tsukumo just stood there and stared at the mask, he made no move to get out of there. Riku saw him and was suddenly reminded of his father and realized there was something he still needed to do. 

Riku turned to Iori and the rest of Sibuna and smiled. “You guys go ahead, there’s one last thing I need to do before all of this is over. I’ll meet you back at the house.” He said. Iori was at first going to protest by saying he would wait, but the look on Riku’s face made him change his mind. So, he smiled and nodded. “Okay, see you back at the house.” He said and led the rest of Sibuna out of the library. 

Then Riku walked over to Tsukumo and waited for the older man to acknowledge him. Soon, Tsukumo sighed and turned to Riku, sensing that the redheaded boy had something to talk about. Riku smiled. “You knew what would happen to Kujou-san if he put on that mask, didn’t you?” He asked. 

Tsukumo nodded. “Only the pure of heart may enter the afterlife and become a God. That is another reason why Senkhara wanted you to wear it. For those who are not pure of heart… Well it basically leads to the ancient Egyptians version of hell.” He explained. 

Riku nodded in understanding. “Well, thank you. You saved our lives.” He said. Tsukumo only shrugged in reply. Then Riku pulled out the ring that he had kept in his pocket. “Senkhara isn’t the only spirit I have seen down in the tunnels.” He said, making Tsukumo look at him in shock. 

Riku then held out his hand and presented the ring that had belonged to Tsukumo’s father. “He wanted you to have this. And he wanted me to tell you that he’s sorry for everything he put you through. That out of the two of you, you were a better man.” He said. 

For the first, and Riku assumed also last time, Tsukumo started crying, right there in front of Riku. He accepted the ring and then he had to sit down for a minute. Riku had said what he needed to say, and he sensed that Tsukumo needed some time to process what had just happened. So, without another word, Riku left. 

Back at the house, things were happening left and right. Tsumugi was busy with the food and entertaining the guests. Meanwhile, all of Sibuna, who were also joined by Tenn, waited in the entranceway for Riku to return. When the redhead finally walked into the house, they all crowded him. 

Riku smiled at them. He didn’t tell them about Tsukumo, he felt like that was private. Maybe he would tell Iori sometime when they were alone, but he didn’t think it was his place to share it with everyone. Instead, he told them of something else. “I called the hospital on the way back, and Gran woke up a while ago! She seems fine, but they’re keeping her a while after what she’s been through.” He said. 

This came as a relief to everyone. It meant that the curse really was entirely unmade. Riku then turned to Tenn. “We should go visit her tomorrow.” He said. Tenn smiled and nodded in agreement. 

Then Riku turned to Iori, and Tenn quickly noticed the look that passed between them. For once, he figured he could help Riku along. “I think I’ll go talk to Tsumugi about driving us to the hospital tomorrow.” He said, and then he gestured for Tamaki, Nagi and Sougo to follow him. Before he left, he gave Riku a wink and closed the door to the living room, giving Iori and Riku some privacy at last. 

Iori and Riku smiled fondly at one another, then Iori reached out and took ahold of Riku’s hand. “We really did it. It’s all done now.” He said. Riku smiled and nodded, but then his smile faded. “I don’t know if it ever will be truly over though… Not for me. I learned some things about me, about the Chosen One, when I was stuck in that room.” He admitted. 

But Iori didn’t stop smiling, he just brought the hand that wasn’t holding onto Riku’s own up to caress Riku’s cheek. “Hey, let’s not think about that now. We just finished this quest, so maybe we have earned at least one night’s rest? But either way, if something more happens, whenever that may be, I’ll always be here to help you through it, okay? We’ll do it together.” He declared. 

Riku smiled then and looked up at Iori. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. But for now, I think I’d rather enjoy some normalcy for a while.” He said. Iori smiled smugly and nodded. “I think I’d like that too… Perhaps we could even make time to go on that date we never got around to?” He suggested. 

Riku laughed and leaned in closer then, letting his forehead rest against Iori’s own. He closed his eyes in content. Right then and there, Riku felt happy, he felt safe. “Yeah, that sounds amazing.” He agreed. 

And then, after everything was done with, Iori and Riku closed the last distance between them and kissed. And everything was as it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I barely know what to say. It's done, another fic finished. It feels a bit weird as I actually finished writing this over a month ago, but I'm so happy that it's all out now! I really, really hope that you guys have enjoyed this story! It was a beast and definitely the longest I've ever written, but in the end I'm quite happy with how it turned out. It was really fun to take the events from House of Anubis and apply it to i7, and I hope you guys who have read this story agrees. I know that there is more to House of Anubis, a third season and a movie (or special episode or something?) but I will not be writing any fanfics about those, mainly because I haven't seen it, and I also feel like this is a pretty good place to end this. That being said, I do plan to write more for IDOLiSH7 and ioriku though, so stay tuned for any future stories that may come! It might be a while though, as I'm currently working on my bachelor's thesis... I won't have time to write again until the new year, but I do plan to come back, with something that's not House of Anubis.   
> Anyway, at last I would just like to thank you all so much! Thank you for reading this story, I truly do hope that you were able to enjoy it! I would also like to thank everyone who have supported me and this story with kudos, comments, bookmarks, etc! Thank you guys so so much! I hope to see you again sometime!


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